All eyes on Tribunal as verdict against Hasina set for today
Abu Jakir :
All eyes are on Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal-1 as it prepares to deliver a landmark verdict on Monday in a case against former ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two senior officials.
The ruling, the first of its kind since the tribunal’s restructuring last year, comes amid nationwide attention on accountability for alleged crimes against humanity during the July 2024 uprising.
The tribunal, reconstituted in the aftermath of the Awami League’s collapse on August 5, 2024, is set to read out the judgment in a case that prosecutors say stems from deadly violence and state repression during the July 2024 pro-democracy movement.
The entire tribunal proceedings will be broadcast live on state television with the tribunal’s approval, prosecutors announced on Sunday — an unprecedented step in a case involving a former head of government.
The verdict has prompted a fierce response from the Awami League, which remains banned from political activity under Bangladesh’s interim administration.
Despite the prohibition, party leaders have called for a “complete shutdown” on Sunday and Monday, framing the case as a political witch hunt.
One senior Awami League leader, speaking anonymously due to restrictions on political speech, described the tribunal as “illegal” and denounced the upcoming judgment as “a scripted verdict in the name of justice.”
Supporters of the party have amplified the shutdown call across social media, urging followers to resist what they describe as a “farce trial.”
The government has responded with sweeping security preparations following a series of arson attacks that began on Saturday night — buses torched on highways, crude bombs hurled at local offices, and at least two incidents targeting branches of Grameen Bank in Bogura and Gazipur.
The police, however, have downplayed the violence. “We have prepared for every scenario,” a senior police official said. “There is no reason for public panic.”
The Home Affairs Adviser, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, echoed the message Sunday afternoon, saying security forces were “fully prepared” to prevent unrest. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) units have already been deployed in Dhaka, Gopalganj, Madaripur and Faridpur, while Dhaka Metropolitan Police has stationed additional forces across the capital.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali has also issued strict orders to law enforcement personnel to take decisive action against anyone involved in setting vehicles on fire or throwing bombs.
The directive underscores the city police’s zero-tolerance stance on violent acts, emphasizing that such offenders will face immediate and forceful response to maintain public safety.
Opposition Parties Brace for Fallout
The country’s major political parties appear to be preparing for a volatile Monday.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned that “a certain group” was plotting to unleash chaos surrounding the verdict against what he called “fascist Hasina.”
In a Facebook post, he demanded “full justice,” writing that Bangladesh “deserves transparency and fairness” as the tribunal prepares to rule on five charges of crimes against humanity.
Yet in a separate speech at the National Press Club, he cautioned that others might exploit the moment for political violence, urging citizens to remain vigilant.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami — one of eight parties in a recently formed alliance — announced it would be “active on the ground” Monday to prevent sabotage. Jamaat’s Secretary General, Mia Golam Porwar, said his party would not allow “anyone to carry out subversive acts.”
Asked whether the Awami League’s shutdown call amounted to incitement, he replied: “Our programme is peaceful and nonviolent. We will continue our movement against the illegal Yunus government until its fall.”
A Historic Tribunal Faces Its Most Consequential Test
The International Crimes Tribunal was originally created by the Awami League government to try atrocities committed during the 1971 war. After the AL was ousted last year, the tribunal was restructured and soon after accepted the first case naming Sheikh Hasina as a defendant — a dramatic reversal of political fortunes for a leader who ruled the country for more than 15 consecutive years.
According to prosecutors, the case alleges that Sheikh Hasina acted as the “mastermind, commander and chief architect” behind crimes committed during the July 2024 uprising. Two other accused — former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun — were later added to the case. Mamun became the first defendant in the tribunal’s history to turn approver, offering testimony for the prosecution.
The tribunal has charged the three with five counts of crimes against humanity. Prosecutors told reporters Sunday that they have sought “the highest punishment” for Sheikh Hasina and requested that the court confiscate the defendants’ property for distribution to families of those killed or injured during last year’s unrest.
The trial’s final hearing took place last Thursday, when the tribunal fixed November 17 as the date for its verdict. The announcement triggered a flurry of political mobilisation online, with Awami League-linked networks urging supporters to “stand firm” ahead of what they call a decisive moment.