Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina sentenced to six months in contempt case

In a landmark decision, Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to six months in prison by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in a contempt of court case. The verdict was delivered by a three-member bench headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, marking the first conviction against Hasina since her removal from power in August 2024.

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The case stems from a leaked audio call between Hasina and Shakil Akand Bulbul, a political figure associated with the Bangladesh Chhatra League. In the recording, a voice believed to be Hasina’s is heard saying, “227 cases have been filed against me, so I have obtained a licence to kill 227 people.” The tribunal found the statement amounted to contempt of court, as it was seen as an attempt to intimidate the judiciary and undermine ongoing war crimes trials linked to last year’s mass uprising.

Bulbul, too, was sentenced to two months in prison for his role in the conversation. The court ruled that both sentences would be enforced from the day of arrest or voluntary surrender.

This verdict comes nearly a year after Hasina’s government was overthrown during widespread protests led by the Students Against Discrimination (SAD). Initially a movement demanding changes in government job quotas, the protests evolved into a full-scale uprising, leading to violent clashes across the country. A UN report later estimated that at least 1,400 people died in the unrest.

After stepping down, Hasina fled to India on August 5, 2024. Several of her former cabinet members are currently facing legal scrutiny over the brutal crackdown that followed the protests.