In a landmark ruling, a special tribunal in Dhaka has sentenced Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity. The charges stem from her alleged harsh crackdown on a student-led uprising in 2024, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and the collapse of her 15-year rule. The International Crimes Tribunal also handed down a death sentence to former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan for his role in the violent suppression of protesters. Both Hasina and Khan fled to India last year and were convicted in absentia. A former police chief, who turned state witness against Hasina, received a five-year prison sentence. The tribunal, led by Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder, announced the verdict in a session broadcast live, drawing mixed reactions from the crowded courtroom. Hasina has condemned the ruling as “biased and politically motivated,” asserting that she acted in good faith to minimize casualties. The verdict comes amid ongoing instability in Bangladesh following Hasina’s ousting on August 5, 2024. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, who now heads an interim government, has vowed to punish Hasina and banned her Awami League party from participating in upcoming elections. The country remains tense, with increased security measures and sporadic violence reported in the lead-up to the verdict. Hasina has the option to appeal the sentence within 30 days, though her return to Bangladesh seems unlikely.