In Bangladesh, the International Crimes Tribunal has found former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity. According to local media, the Tribunal has sentenced the former Prime Minister to death following a trial that lasted several months.
Previously, the three-judge panel led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder announced the date for the verdict, as security measures have been heightened throughout Dhaka. Extra personnel from the Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, and the army have been stationed around the tribunal area.
The accusations against Hasina stem from the student-led revolt in July and August of the previous year, during which prosecutors claim the Awami League government at the time violently suppressed demonstrators. In addition to Hasina, the tribunal is prosecuting former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who has now become a state witness.
Hasina and Kamal are facing trial in their absence after leaving the country due to the turmoil. Al-Mamun, who is still detained, has allegedly provided comprehensive testimony outlining how supposed orders from senior officials were carried out.
Law enforcement agencies have increased their patrols in Dhaka as well as in Gopalganj, Madaripur, and Faridpur, in anticipation of political events or disturbances after the ruling.
Experts suggest that the forthcoming decision might have major political consequences, as it comes only a few months before the planned national elections.