Sheikh Hasina sentenced to 6-month jail by Bangladesh war crime tribunal: Report

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced former Prime Minister and ousted Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina to six months in jail for contempt of court, according to The Dhaka Tribune.

The verdict was delivered by a three-judge panel led by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder.

The court also sentenced Shakil Akand Bulbul from Gobindaganj in Gaibandha to two months in prison, the report added.

This is the first conviction for Hasina since her departure from office and her flight from the country nearly a year ago.

In June, the ICT formally indicted Hasina for crimes against humanity, with local media alleging her involvement in ordering mass killings during a nationwide uprising in July.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and his team have accused Hasina of being the main instigator behind the violent crackdown that occurred during July and August 2024, as reported by The Dhaka Tribune.

On August 5, 2024, facing mass protests in Dhaka that defied curfew, Hasina resigned, left her home in the capital, and fled to India.

Her helicopter entered Indian airspace, circled for a while, and then landed at a BSF helipad in Agartala. From there, she traveled to Delhi, ultimately arriving at the Hindon military airbase.