A Bangladesh tribunal’s death sentence against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina marks an unprecedented moment in the country’s political evolution. Never before has a former head of government been convicted of crimes against humanity — and never under circumstances as deeply polarizing as these.
The verdict, reached by a special International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh, comes more than a year after the dramatic student-led uprising that ended Hasina’s 15-year rule, forced her into exile and ushered in an unelected interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Instead of restoring stability, the court’s decision appears likely to aggravate political tensions, embolden extremist elements and push Bangladesh further into an uncertain and volatile phase.
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