ICT publishes full verdict sentencing Hasina, Kamal to death

The International Crimes Tribunal has published the full written verdict in a crimes against humanity case over the July massacre linked to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, in which former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and two others were sentenced to death.

The 457-page verdict was uploaded to the website of the tribunal's chief prosecutor's office today (10 January).

Earlier, on November 17 last year, Tribunal-1 sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Kamal to death by hanging along with life imprisonment, and ordered the confiscation of all their assets within the country. Former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned state witness, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment.

The verdict was delivered by a three-member judicial panel of Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder. The full written judgment was released nine days after the verdict was announced.

The prosecution brought five charges against the three accused. However, the tribunal framed six incidents under two charges in its judgment.

Under Charge No 1, the tribunal cited three incidents. The first involved inciting remarks made by Sheikh Hasina at a press conference at Ganabhaban on July 14, 2024, where protesters were referred to as "razakars."

The second concerned a conversation the same night between Sheikh Hasina and Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Maksud Kamal, in which protesters were again described as razakars and orders were given to hang them.

The third incident involved the fatal shooting of Abu Sayed by police in Rangpur. For these acts, Sheikh Hasina and Kamal were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Under Charge No 2, the tribunal also cited three incidents. The first involved a phone conversation on July 18, 2024, between Sheikh Hasina, former Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Fazle Noor Taposh, and Jasad president Hasanul Haq Inu. 

According to the verdict, Sheikh Hasina instructed the use of drones to identify protesters' locations and ordered killings using helicopters and lethal weapons. The tribunal again noted that the accused did not prevent their subordinates from carrying out the crimes.

As a result, police shot dead six protesters at Chankharpul on August 5 last year, which was listed as the second incident under this charge. The third incident involved the killing of six people in Ashulia, Savar, on the same day, after which their bodies were burned.

For the offences under Charge No 2, Sheikh Hasina and Kamal were sentenced to death. The tribunal also directed the government to confiscate all its assets and distribute them among those affected by the July violence. Mamun received a five-year prison sentence for both charges.