A Bangladesh court on Wednesday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to six months in prison in a contempt case, according to a report by The Dhaka Tribune. The ruling was handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT), marking Hasina’s first conviction since her ouster nearly a year ago.
The tribunal’s three-member bench, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, stated that Hasina’s sentence would come into effect from the day she is arrested or surrenders. Alongside Hasina, the court also sentenced Shakil Akand Bulbul—a political figure associated with the Bangladesh Chhatra League—to two months in jail under the same contempt ruling.
‘Licence to Kill’ Comment Cited as Threat to Judicial Process
The contempt case stems from a leaked phone call in October last year between Hasina and Bulbul. In the audio, a voice believed to be Hasina’s can be heard saying, “227 cases have been filed against me, so I have obtained a licence to kill 227 people”.
The prosecution argued that the statement undermined the judiciary and sought to intimidate those involved in the war crimes trials related to the mass uprising in 2024. The court found the remark to be a direct threat to the judicial process and grounds for contempt.
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Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, following intense anti-government protests led by the Students Against Discrimination (SAD). Originally focused on reforming quotas in government jobs, the movement evolved into a full-scale uprising. According to a United Nations report, the protests led to the deaths of an estimated 1,400 people between mid-July and mid-August, even after the Awami League government was toppled.
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The former prime minister has been living in exile in India since her departure. Meanwhile, several of her cabinet members and senior officials are facing legal scrutiny over their roles in the violent crackdown. On August 8, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government.
As of now, Hasina has not responded publicly to the verdict. The sentencing adds a new layer of complexity to the country’s already turbulent political landscape as legal proceedings against members of the former regime continue.
