Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was convicted in absentia on Wednesday and sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court. The ruling marks the first verdict against her since her ouster during last year’s political upheaval.
Hasina, 77, fled to India after a student-led uprising forced her from office in August 2024. Despite repeated summons, she has refused to return to Dhaka to face trial.
“She will serve the sentence the day she arrives in Bangladesh or surrenders to the court,” confirmed Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam while speaking to reporters after the verdict. The court found her guilty over public comments made following her ousting, which allegedly intimidated witnesses involved in ongoing legal proceedings against her.
The sentence adds to the mounting legal pressure on the former leader, who once led Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League — now banned under emergency decrees enacted last year.
Accusations of Witness Intimidation and Political Fallout
The case revolves around statements Hasina allegedly made after being removed from power, which prosecutors argue threatened those pursuing justice.
“The prosecution team believes her comment created an aura of fear among those who filed the cases and among the witnesses,” stated Tajul Islam.
Alongside Hasina, Shakil Akanda Bulbul, a senior figure from the now-outlawed Awami League and also a fugitive, received a two-month prison sentence for his involvement in the same case.
The court’s move reflects the government’s broader effort to hold former regime officials accountable amid ongoing political instability. Observers say the verdict could signal further clampdowns on opposition voices and renew tensions in the deeply polarized nation.
Hasina’s legal team, which includes state-appointed attorneys due to her absence, said she denies the charges. “She rejects all accusations and sees them as politically motivated,” said her defence lawyer after the hearing.
Legacy of Violence Still Haunts Bangladesh
The contempt ruling comes as another, more serious trial unfolds. On June 1, Bangladesh opened legal proceedings against Hasina for her alleged role in last year’s deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters.
According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 people died between July and August 2024 during brutal efforts by Hasina’s government to suppress dissent. Prosecutors argue she held “overall command responsibility” for the state violence, a charge that could carry much harsher penalties if proven.
Human rights groups have long accused Hasina’s administration of authoritarian tendencies, but her defenders claim the current legal push is a witch-hunt designed to silence a long-time political rival. Whether the court rulings bring accountability or deepen divisions remains to be seen.
As Hasina remains in self-imposed exile in India, the question of her return looms large. Will she come back to face the courts? Or has Bangladesh entered a new political era where its former prime ministers are tried in absentia and exiled from the halls of power?
