The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in a case over crimes against humanity committed during the July mass uprising.

A three-member bench of the ICT-1, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mazumder, delivered the verdict around 2:50 pm on Monday.

Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death on the second charge of the case, while life imprisonment was handed down on the first charge.

Following the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, the ICT was reconstituted. The first case in the reconstituted tribunal, related to crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising, was filed against Sheikh Hasina. The tribunal’s first hearing in this case was held on 17 October last year, when a warrant for Sheikh Hasina’s arrest was issued.

Initially, Sheikh Hasina was the sole accused in the case. On 16 March this year, the prosecution applied to include former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun as a co-accused, and the tribunal approved the request.

The prosecution brought a total of five charges in the case relating to crimes against humanity during the 24 July uprising. On 12 May, the tribunal’s investigation agency submitted an 8,747-page formal charge sheet, including 2,018 pages of evidential references, 4,005 pages of seized documents and records, and 2,724 pages detailing the victims.

Based on this, the prosecution filed formal charges against Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan, and Abdullah Al-Mamun on 1 June, which the tribunal accepted the same day. On 10 July, the tribunal framed charges against the three accused and ordered the start of the trial.

At one stage, the tribunal accepted former IGP Abdullah Al-Mamun’s request to act as an approver and witness to uncover the truth of the events. He later testified as a key witness.

On 23 October, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman delivered his concluding statement, seeking the maximum punishment for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam also requested the highest penalty for the two accused.

Responding to them, state-appointed lawyer Md. Amir Hossain pleaded for their acquittal. The tribunal later announced that the verdict would be delivered on 13 November.