Bangladesh court sentences ex-PM Hasina to prison for contempt
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Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister after ruling for 15 years and fled to New Delhi.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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A tribunal in Bangladesh has sentenced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to six months in prison for contempt of court, the first verdict in any case against her since her government collapsed in August 2024.
The prison term will be enforced if Hasina returns to Bangladesh, either through arrest or voluntary surrender, Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam said at a media briefing after the court verdict on July 2.
The contempt conviction stems from Hasina’s remarks about 227 murder cases against her. She had said these accusations gave her “license to kill” as many people, an audio clip of which went viral on social media platforms.
The tribunal ruled that her remarks constituted “obstruction of justice,” Mr Islam said.
In June 2025, prosecutors officially charged Hasina and two senior officials with crimes against humanity for their alleged roles in violent crackdowns during the 2024 student-led uprising.
Hasina resigned as prime minister after ruling for 15 years, and fled Bangladesh for New Delhi under pressure from millions of protesters who had taken to the streets for weeks demanding that she quit. Hasina and some of her family members also face allegations of corruption. BLOOMBERG
