After the International Crimes Tribunal-Bangladesh on Monday sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in absentia for "crimes against humanity" during last year's student uprising, Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said that "no one, regardless of power, is above the law."
"Today, the courts of Bangladesh have spoken with a clarity that resonates across the nation and beyond. The conviction and sentencing affirm a fundamental principle: no one, regardless of power, is above the law," Yunus said in a statement.
Ever since she fled Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, Hasina has been living in India. Following this, Yunus was appointed the chief advisor of the interim government. "This verdict offers vital, if insufficient, justice to the thousands harmed in the uprising of July and August 2024, and to the families who still carry their loss," he said on Monday.
He alleged that Hasina ordered lethal force against young people and children whose "only weapons were their voices". "These acts outraged Bangladeshis’ core values: dignity, resilience, and commitment to justice," he added.
According to a UN rights office report, around 1,400 people were killed during the July-August protest in 2024.
"This verdict recognises their suffering and confirms that our justice system will hold perpetrators accountable.
Bangladesh is now rejoining global currents of accountability. The students and citizens who stood for change understood this, and many paid with their lives—giving their today for our tomorrow," he added.
Hasina was charged with ordering the use of deadly force against unarmed protesters, making inflammatory statements.
Responding to the verdict, Hasina dismissed the charges as "biased and politically motivated", saying the ICT is a "rigged tribunal" that was established and presided over by an "unelected government with no democratic mandate".
Following the verdict, Yunus said exuded confidence that the country will meet the challenges ahead with courage and humility. "With commitment to the rule of law, human rights, and each person’s potential, justice will not merely survive in Bangladesh. It will prevail and sustain," he stated.
