Ousted Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has been found guilty of crimes against humanity by the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for violence and deaths during a student movement last year. She has been sentenced to death. This judgment has put not only Sheikh Hasina, but also her party, Bangladesh Awami League, on the brink of political extinction. The pressing question is, what options do Hasina and her party have to save their political future?
Technically, Sheikh Hasina has the option to appeal the death sentence issued by the ICT, but the conditions are daunting. Under section 21 of the ICT legislation, a convict sentenced to death must either be arrested or surrender to the court within 30 days from the verdict date. Only then can an appeal against the ICT verdict be lodged with the appellate division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.
For Sheikh Hasina, the critical deadline is December 17, 2025. If she fails to surrender or get arrested in a Bangladeshi court by this date, her right to appeal will automatically terminate, and the death sentence will become final. The Bangladesh Supreme Court is obliged to deliver a ruling on the appeal within 60 days, making the latest possible date February 15, 2026.
Since Sheikh Hasina has termed the ICT a 'fraudulent puppet court' and has sought asylum in India, it seems unlikely she'll return to Bangladesh to face arrest or surrender to a court. Should this scenario prevail, Hasina's political re-entry would become nearly impossible, and the legal pathway to contest a ban on the Awami League would be shut permanently. Thus, the next 30 days are critical for the political survival of Hasina and the Awami League.
Sheikh Hasina Calls ICT a 'Mock Court'
Sheikh Hasina has labeled the death sentence by Bangladesh's ICT as biased, politically motivated, and illegal. She asserts that the verdict stems from a 'sham and so-called court' lacking public mandate. It should be noted that Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, as a result of the student movement's unrest. She has since taken refuge in India.
Sheikh Hasina flatly denies the charges of crimes against humanity against her. She stated, 'I absolutely reject these accusations. The trial occurred in my absence; I was neither allowed to defend myself nor choose a lawyer of my preference.' Hasina further stated, 'No respected and professional legal expert across the globe would recognize this so-called International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh. Its aim is nothing short of removing Bangladesh's last elected Prime Minister and politically dismantling the Awami League.'
