Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus hails verdict against Sheikh Hasina, says no one is above the law

Dhaka: Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus Monday hailed a special tribunal's verdict against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her aide, saying the ruling affirmed a fundamental principle - "no one, regardless of power, is above the law." The International Crimes Tribunal-Bangladesh (ICT-BD) sentenced 78-year-old Hasina and her former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in absentia for "crimes against humanity" during last year's student uprising.

Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court. Kamal is also believed to be in India.

"Today, the courts of Bangladesh have spoken with a clarity that resonates across the nation and beyond. The conviction and sentencing affirm a fundamental principle: no one, regardless of power, is above the law," Yunus said in a statement.

Yunus had assumed charge as the chief advisor of the interim government last year in August, three days after Hasina fled to India after the massive protests toppled her 16 year regime.

Commenting on the verdict, Hasina denied the charges as "biased and politically motivated" and said the judgment has been made by a "rigged tribunal" established and presided over by an "unelected government with no democratic mandate".

In his statement, Yunus said the verdict offered justice to the thousands harmed in the uprising of July and August 2024, and to the families who still carry their loss.

"We stand at a moment of rebuilding democratic foundations wrecked by years of oppression. The crimes at issue - the ordering of lethal force against young people and children whose only weapons were their voices - violated both our laws and the basic bond between government and citizens. These acts outraged Bangladeshis’ core values: dignity, resilience, and commitment to justice," he said.

A UN rights office report had estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed during the month-long agitation last year, known as the July Uprising.

Hasina was handed the death penalty for ordering the use of deadly force against unarmed protesters, making inflammatory statements and authorising operations that led to the killing of several students in Dhaka and surrounding areas.

"As many as 1,400 lives were lost. They were not statistics but students, parents, and citizens with rights. Months of testimony detailed how lethal force, even from helicopters, was used against unarmed protesters. This verdict recognises their suffering and confirms that our justice system will hold perpetrators accountable," Yunus said.

He said Bangladesh is now rejoining global currents of accountability. "The path ahead requires not just legal accountability but rebuilding trust between institutions and citizens," he said.

"I have every confidence that Bangladesh will meet the challenges ahead with courage and humility. With commitment to the rule of law, human rights, and each person's potential, justice will not merely survive in Bangladesh. It will prevail and sustain," he said.

Earlier, a statement from the interim government described as "historic" the verdict against Hasina and her aide and urged people to remain calm, restrained and responsible.

"Realising the profound significance of this verdict, the interim government calls on people from all walks of life to remain calm, restrained and responsible. Everyone is specifically requested to refrain from any kind of disorder, provocative behaviour, violence or unlawful activities in the post-verdict period," it said.

The statement, sent to the media from the Chief Advisor's press wing, also warned that "any attempt to create anarchy, chaos or breach of public order will be strictly suppressed".