Bangladesh witnessed a night of widespread protests and arson after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Monday. Several vehicles were torched across at least five districts as unrest spread rapidly.
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is a domestic special court system in Bangladesh established to prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.
The tribunal found Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity in connection with the July 2024 demonstrations. Alongside her, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were also convicted. While Mamun received a pardon, the court noted that he would still face a “lenient sentence” owing to the gravity of the charges.
The verdict triggered intense clashes in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi 32 area, which turned into a battleground by Monday evening. According to the Dhaka Tribune, at least 50 people, including security personnel, were injured in the violence. Dhanmondi 32 is a politically sensitive area, as it houses the residence of Bangladesh’s founding father—and Hasina’s father—Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Protesters blocked major highways and staged marches, leading to confrontations with security forces deployed across Dhaka and other districts. Police used batons, sound grenades, and tear gas to disperse crowds amid escalating tensions.
Over the past week, Bangladesh has recorded more than 50 incidents of arson and crude bomb attacks, resulting in at least three deaths, according to The Daily Star. In a separate incident on Monday night, the residence of former President Abdul Hamid in Kishoreganj was attacked and vandalised. Prothom Alo reported that a group of 20–30 men carried out the assault shortly after a celebratory procession marking Hasina’s sentencing passed through the area.
The situation remains tense nationwide as Bangladesh grapples with the fallout of the verdict against the democratically elected former Prime Minister. Security has been heightened, and authorities are on alert as protests continue to flare across the country.
(With inputs from IANS)