Bangladesh on Brink of Chaos: Sheikh Hasina's Verdict Imminent, Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty
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Bangladesh is on high alert as the International Crimes Tribunal prepares to deliver its verdict in the high-profile case against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, November 17. Hasina, who is currently in India, faces five charges related to crimes against humanity during last year's deadly protests and violence in Dhaka. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Hasina, citing the brutal crackdown on student-led protests that led to her ouster and eventual escape to India. The verdict is expected to be delivered on the same day that the country is bracing for potential unrest. The trial has been marred by controversy, with former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and then inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun also being tried in the tribunal. Both men faced their trials in absentia as the court declared them "fugitives". The United Nations estimates that up to 1,400 people may have been killed in the violence that rocked Dhaka last year, while the country's health adviser puts the death toll at over 800 people and 14,000 injured. Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam has demanded the death penalty for Hasina, saying that she "deserves 1,400 death sentences" for her alleged role in the violence. He accused Hasina of being a "hardened criminal" who shows "no remorse for the brutality she has committed". The trial has been ongoing for over a month, with 54 witnesses testifying before the court. The verdict is expected to be a major flashpoint in the country, with the former ruling party, the Awami League, calling for a nationwide lockdown to protest Hasina's trial. As the country teeters on the brink of chaos, schools have been closed and public transport has been disrupted. Security has been tightened across the national capital, with army troops deployed around the International Crimes Tribunal complex. The country is bracing for a potentially volatile outcome, with the verdict set to be delivered on Monday.
