On Sunday, Bangladesh began the first trial in a special court prosecuting former high-ranking officials linked to the ousted government of Sheikh Hasina, according to the chief prosecutor.
The court in Dhaka accepted a formal charge against eight police officers for their alleged involvement in the killing of six protesters on August 5 of last year. That day, Hasina fled the country as protesters stormed her palace.
The eight men face charges of crimes against humanity. Four of them are currently in custody, while the other four are being tried in absentia.
“The formal trial has now started,” said Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor of Bangladesh’s domestic International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). “We believe the evidence will prove the accused committed these crimes.”
This marks the first formal case tied to the killings during last year’s student-led uprising, which ultimately ended Hasina’s 15-year rule.
According to the United Nations, the government’s violent crackdown from July to August 2024 resulted in up to 1,400 deaths.
Those charged include Dhaka’s former police commissioner, Habibur Rahman, who is being tried in absentia.
Hasina escaped by helicopter to India, a longtime ally, and has been living in self-imposed exile ever since. She has so far defied Bangladesh’s extradition request to face crimes against humanity charges.
‘Command Responsibility’
The trial of senior officials from Hasina’s administration is a major demand of various political parties competing for power as Bangladesh prepares for elections, which the interim government has promised to hold by June 2026.
Islam explained that the eight men face charges for different levels of involvement: some for “superior command responsibility,” others for directly giving orders, and some for active participation.
He expressed confidence in a successful prosecution.
“We have provided sufficient evidence to prove crimes against humanity by both national and international standards,” Islam said.
This evidence includes video footage of the violence and voice recordings of Hasina “ordering the killing of the protesters using force and lethal weapons,” he said.
The ICT was established by Hasina in 2009 and has been widely criticized for targeting her political rivals. Over the years, it has sentenced several prominent opponents to death.
