DHAKA,Bangladesh (msn) -Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s former prime minister and aunt of UK Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, is facing trial for crimes against humanity before the country’s international crimes tribunal. Prosecutors allege she orchestrated a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests that left approximately 1,400 people dead, including women and children.
The unrest, which began in July last year over civil service job quotas favoring war veterans’ families, escalated into a nationwide movement demanding Hasina’s resignation. On August 5, she fled by helicopter as protesters stormed her residence in Dhaka. That same day, security forces reportedly killed at least 52 people in one of the deadliest incidents in Bangladesh’s history.
Prosecutors claim Hasina ordered the use of lethal weapons, incineration of bodies, and denial of medical care. Evidence includes phone records, video footage, and witness testimonies. She denies all charges.
Arrest warrants have been issued for Hasina and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan, both believed to be in India. Former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun has confessed to executing orders using drones and helicopters.
Hasina’s defence is set to begin Sunday, with a verdict expected by mid-November. She also faces property seizure, corruption charges, and a six-month sentence for contempt of court. Her Awami League party has been banned from political activity ahead of February’s elections, where the opposition BNP is favored to win.
