Dhaka, July 3, 2025 (Agencies): Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to six months in prison in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on charges of contempt of court, marking a significant legal blow to the ousted leader now in self-exile.
The three-judge tribunal, headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, issued the verdict on Wednesday following the release of a leaked phone recording in which Hasina allegedly remarked, “There are 227 cases against me, so I now have a licence to kill 227 people.” A forensic report confirmed the audio’s authenticity.
Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam stated that the sentence will come into effect upon Hasina’s arrest or voluntary surrender. The court also handed a two-month sentence to Shakil Akand Bulbul, a former leader of the Awami League’s banned student wing, the Chhatra League, in connection with the same case.
Hasina has been facing multiple charges since fleeing to India in the aftermath of deadly student-led protests in August 2024 that ended her administration. The ICT, originally established under her government in 2010 to try 1971 war crimes, is now pursuing several cases against her, including crimes against humanity linked to the crackdown on last year’s protests.
Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus, who assumed office following the protests, has pledged to restore accountability and strengthen democratic institutions. The banned Awami League continues to reject the charges as politically motivated, while the interim government insists that justice must follow due process.