Bangladesh court to deliver verdict against Hasina on November 13

Weather - Berlin 0°C

Bangladesh court to deliver verdict against Hasina on November 13

POLITICS 23.10.2025

Bangladesh court to deliver verdict against Hasina on November 13 / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

The verdict in the crimes against humanity case against ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina will be delivered on November 13, the attorney general said, as the trial ended on Thursday.

Change text size:

Hasina, 78, has defied court orders to return from India to face charges of ordering a deadly crackdown in a failed attempt to crush a student-led uprising.

"If she believed in the justice system, she should have returned," Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman said in his closing speech of the nearly five-month-long trial in Dhaka.

"She was the prime minister but fled, leaving behind the entire nation -- her fleeing corroborates the allegations."

Her trial in absentia, which opened on June 1, heard months of testimony alleging Hasina ordered mass killings.

Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024, according to the United Nations.

Prosecutors have filed five charges, including failure to prevent murder, amounting to crimes against humanity under Bangladeshi law.

They have demanded the death penalty if she is found guilty.

Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam has accused Hasina of being "the nucleus around whom all the crimes were committed" during the uprising.

Her co-accused are former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, also a fugitive, and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who is in custody and has pleaded guilty.

- 'We want justice' -

Witnesses included a man whose face was ripped apart by gunfire.

The prosecution also played audio tapes -- verified by police -- that suggested Hasina directly ordered security forces to "use lethal weapons" against protesters.

Hasina, assigned a state-appointed lawyer, has refused to recognise the court's authority.

Defence lawyer Md Amir Hossain said she was "forced to flee" Bangladesh, claiming that she "preferred death and a burial within her residence compound".

Her now-banned Awami League says she "categorically denies" all charges and has denounced the proceedings as "little more than a show trial".

Asaduzzaman, the attorney general, said it had been a fair trial that sought justice for all victims.

"We want justice for both sides of the crimes against humanity case, that claimed 1,400 lives," he said, listing several of those killed, including children.

The verdict will come three months ahead of elections expected in early February 2026, the first since Hasina's overthrow.

(M.Dylatov--DTZ)

Featured

Guterres Warns Against Building Peace on a 'Burning Planet' in Cop31 Farewell

António Guterres has issued a stark warning against building peace on a "burning planet" during his final address at the Cop31 climate summit. As world leaders depart and negotiations persist, the outgoing UN chief emphasized that climate action is central to every aspect of global governance and human survival.

Iran Warns South Korea Against Naval Expansion Near Strait of Hormuz

Iran has formally warned South Korea against deploying naval forces near the Strait of Hormuz, characterizing Seoul’s plan to extend the mission of its antipiracy unit as a hostile act tied to the conflict between the United States and Iran. The diplomatic dispute arises as South Korea seeks legislative approval to broaden the operational scope of the Cheonghae Unit.

Miss Universe Visa Controversy: Zambia and Congo Winners Denied Entry

The winners of the Miss Universe pageant representing Zambia and the Republic of the Congo have been unable to obtain visas to enter the United States. This development underscores the impact of sweeping travel restrictions imposed by the US government during Donald Trump's second administration, which have affected dozens of countries, particularly those in Africa.

Judge Denies Peltola Campaign’s Request for Alaska Absentee Ballot Data

An Anchorage Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a lawsuit filed by the campaign of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola, which sought detailed data on rejected absentee ballots from the Alaska Division of Elections. The ruling halts the campaign’s attempt to identify voters whose ballots were invalidated and understand the specific reasons for those rejections while the state continues its critical vote-counting operations.

Change text size:

Deutsche Tageszeitung - Bangladesh court to deliver verdict against Hasina on November 13