Bangladesh Tribunal Sentences Ousted PM Hasina to Six Months Jail

Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to six months in prison by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in a contempt of court case, marking her first formal conviction since being ousted in 2024. The sentence follows a leaked phone call in which Hasina allegedly claimed she had "a licence to kill 227 people," referring to the numerous cases filed against her, a recording later authenticated by forensic analysis. The tribunal, originally established by Hasina's government to prosecute 1971 war crimes, has also sentenced Shakil Akand Bulbul, a leader of the banned Awami League’s student wing, to two months in jail. Hasina has been living in self-exile in India since August 2024 after deadly student-led protests led to her government's collapse, and she faces multiple charges, including crimes against humanity related to a brutal crackdown on protesters. The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, insists the trials are essential for accountability and democratic restoration, while Hasina’s supporters claim the charges are politically motivated. The sentences will take effect upon Hasina's arrest or surrender, and the Awami League remains banned amid ongoing trials of its leaders.