Staff Reporter :
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on Wednesday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to six months’ imprisonment in a contempt of court case, marking a significant legal development nearly a year after her ouster from power.
The tribunal also handed a two-month jail term to Shakil Akand Bulbul, a former leader of the pro-Awami League student organisation, Bangladesh Chhatra League, in the same case.
The verdict was delivered in a packed courtroom in Dhaka by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, who headed the three-member panel. The tribunal ruled that the sentences would come into effect from the date of arrest or voluntary surrender of the accused.
Sheikh Hasina has not returned to Bangladesh since leaving the country for India on 5 August 2024, one day after deadly student-led protests broke out in Gazipur. Her current location remains officially unconfirmed, though authorities believe she is residing in Delhi under informal political asylum.
Contempt Charges Rooted in Leaked Call
The contempt case arose from a leaked telephone conversation in which Hasina allegedly claimed to have had “a license to kill 227 people”-an apparent reference to the number of legal cases she previously faced. Prosecutors argued that the statement constituted a serious affront to the judiciary, prompting the tribunal to initiate contempt proceedings.
Despite multiple summons, Hasina and Bulbul did not appear before the court, nor did they respond to public notices published in national newspapers. As a result, the tribunal proceeded with the trial in absentia.
Amicus curiae AY Moshiuzzaman and defence counsel Amir Hossain took part in the final hearings. Advocate Aminul Gani Tipu, initially appointed as defence counsel, later withdrew from the case, citing a conflict of interest.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim noted that the appointment of an amicus curiae was made to ensure procedural fairness in the absence of the accused. Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam welcomed the verdict, describing it as “a necessary assertion of judicial authority in response to deliberate disregard for the court.”
Alongside the contempt ruling, Hasina is now facing fresh legal troubles. Two murder cases were filed on Tuesday at Kaliakair Police Station in Gazipur, naming her and three former cabinet members-Obaidul Quader, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and AKM Mozammel Haque-as principal accused.
The cases relate to the fatal shooting of two students, Abdullah Al Mamun (20) and Hafizul Islam Gazi (25), who were allegedly killed during a student protest near the Safipur Ansar Academy on 4 August 2024.
According to case statements, Hafizul sustained gunshot injuries near Gate No. 3 of the academy and later died at Kumudini Medical College Hospital. His brother, Abdul Hamid Gazi, filed one of the murder cases, naming 17 individuals, including Hasina, and over 400 unnamed persons. The second case was filed by a relative of Abdullah Al Mamun.
“We have registered both complaints, and investigations will proceed in accordance with legal procedures,” confirmed Gazipur Superintendent of Police, Chowdhury Md Jaber Sadek.
These developments further isolate Hasina both politically and legally. Once a dominant political figure in Bangladesh and the broader South Asian region, she now faces multiple potential trials in absentia.
While her supporters have described the proceedings as politically motivated, student activists and government critics view the cases as long overdue and a reflection of increasing public demand for accountability.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) and other political groups that emerged following last year’s mass uprising have welcomed the tribunal’s decision, calling it “a step towards restoring justice and dismantling the culture of impunity in national leadership.”
