Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has denounced the verdicts handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against her, calling them “rigged, biased and politically motivated.”
In a written statement, she accused Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, of attempting to eliminate the Awami League and silence democratic opposition.
Hasina, the last elected leader of Bangladesh, described the tribunal as a “sham” established by an unelected administration with no mandate from the people. “Their disdainful call for the death penalty reveals a brazen intent to remove me and dismantle the Awami League as a political force,” she said.
The former prime minister warned that millions of Bangladeshis suffering under what she described as the “chaotic, violent and regressive” rule of Dr. Yunus will not be misled. According to her, the ICT was never designed to uncover truth or deliver justice over the unrest in July and August 2025 but instead to distract from failures in governance.
She accused the interim government of presiding over a collapse in public services, the retreat of law enforcement, and the erosion of judicial fairness. She also pointed to rising assaults on religious minorities, suppression of women’s rights, and the growing influence of extremist groups like Hizb-ut-Tahrir within government ranks.
Hasina further alleged that journalists have been intimidated or jailed, economic progress has stalled, and elections have been delayed while the Awami League has been banned from competing. She said these developments have been documented by international media, NGOs, and bodies such as the IMF.
She concluded by appealing to the international community: “Not a single citizen has voted for Dr. Yunus. Bangladesh’s future must be decided by its people. Next year’s election must be free, fair, and inclusive.”
