The International Crimes Tribunal has begun reading the verdict against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and three others in the case of crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising. Today (Monday, November 17) at around 12:30 pm, the three-member Tribunal-1 headed by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder began reading the verdict.

Bangladesh Television is broadcasting the verdict in Sheikh Hasina’s crimes against humanity case live. At the same time, the Ministry of Culture is broadcasting the verdict announcement live on big screens in several places in Dhaka city. It is also being broadcast on the International Crimes Tribunal’s Facebook page.

Apart from Sheikh Hasina, the other two accused in the case are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Out of these, former IGP Mamun has given his statement as an ‘approver’ (known as a royal witness).

The International Crimes Tribunal was reconstituted after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024. The first case filed by the reconstituted tribunal was against Sheikh Hasina for crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising. The first trial of the reconstituted tribunal was held on October 17 last year. On the same day, the tribunal issued an arrest warrant against Sheikh Hasina in this case.

Initially, Sheikh Hasina was the only accused in the case. On March 16 this year, the prosecution requested to make former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun an accused in the case along with Sheikh Hasina. The tribunal granted the request.

After multiple extensions, the tribunal’s investigation agency submitted its investigation report to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office on May 12 of this year. On June 1, the prosecution filed a formal charge against Sheikh Hasina and the three accused with the tribunal. The formal charge brought a total of five charges against the three accused.

The allegations are – Sheikh Hasina’s provocative speech at a press conference held at Ganabhaban on July 14 last year, ordering the use of helicopters, drones and lethal weapons to eliminate the protesting students and the public, the shooting death of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed in Rangpur, the shooting death of six protesters in the capital’s Chankharpul area and the burning of six people in Ashulia. The tribunal framed formal charges against three people on July 10 for these five charges.

Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan are absconding. Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is the only arrestee in the case.

On the day of the formal indictment (July 10), former IGP Mamun admitted his involvement in crimes against humanity during the mass uprising. He applied to be an ‘approver’ (royal witness). Arguments in the case began on October 12. Arguments ended on October 23. Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam wants the death penalty for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan for crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising.

State-appointed lawyer Md. Amir Hossain represented Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman. He filed a petition for the acquittal of Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman from the case on the grounds of argument. Former IGP Mamun, a witness in the case, was also filed a petition for the acquittal by his lawyer Zayed Bin Amjad.