Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina Sentenced To Six Months In Prison By International Crimes Tribunal

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to six months in prison on Wednesday (2 July) in a contempt of court case by the country's International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT), marking the first conviction against the ousted Awami League leader since she fled the country last year.

The verdict was delivered by a three-member bench headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, according to The Dhaka Tribune.

Alongside Hasina, Shakil Akand Bulbul of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha district was sentenced to two months in prison in the same case.

According to a report by The Hindustan Times, this is the first ruling against Hasina since she fled Bangladesh in August 2024, following the dramatic collapse of her government in the wake of nationwide anti-government protests.

She has since taken refuge in India and is currently residing in a safe house in New Delhi.

In June 2025, ICT prosecutors formally charged Hasina with crimes against humanity, alleging her involvement in a “systemic attack” on demonstrators during the 2023 protests.

Mohammad Tajul Islam, the tribunal’s chief prosecutor, had claimed that Hasina’s administration used disproportionate force to suppress political dissent, triggering international criticism and calls for accountability.

The sentencing represents a significant development in Bangladesh’s ongoing political crisis and legal reckoning following the collapse of the Awami League’s leadership.

Further proceedings related to the charges of crimes against humanity remain pending before the tribunal.