Ex-Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina charged with crimes against humanity

In a stunning escalation of Bangladesh's political crisis, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been formally charged with crimes against humanity, marking the first time a head of state in the country faces such grave allegations in modern history.

On June 1, prosecutors with the International Crimes Tribunal submitted charges accusing Hasina of orchestrating a brutal crackdown on civilian protesters during the nationwide uprising that erupted in July. According to the prosecution, Hasina directed a coordinated campaign of violence that resulted in the deaths of hundreds, an operation they say was sanctioned from the highest level of government.

“This was not a breakdown of law and order,” said Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam in an interview with The Dhaka Tribune. “This was a state-sanctioned assault on unarmed civilians. The evidence points clearly to her role in commanding the operation.”

Also named in the indictment are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Mamun — both accused of executing Hasina’s orders during the deadly suppression.

The charges stem from an official investigation report filed on May 12, which for the first time publicly identified Sheikh Hasina as the ultimate authority behind the mass killings. The report marked a turning point in the case, previously shrouded in political tension and uncertainty.

This dramatic legal move comes just weeks after the interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus invoked the Anti-Terrorism Act to ban all Awami League activities, citing national security threats and pending war crimes inquiries. The party, which Hasina led for decades, is now facing an existential crisis.

On August 5, amid mounting unrest and defiance of curfews by thousands of demonstrators in Dhaka, Hasina abruptly resigned and fled the country. Her exit was as dramatic as her downfall: a helicopter ride across the border, circling Indian airspace before landing at a Border Security Force helipad in Agartala. She later flew to Delhi, arriving at the Indian Air Force base in Hindon under tight security.

As the nation reels from these developments, political analysts warn this could mark a seismic shift in Bangladesh's democratic landscape — and the beginning of a long and volatile reckoning with its past.