Banned Awami League rejects Hasina's death sentence, calls for nationwide shutdown
The banned political party has announced a full-day nationwide shutdown on 18 November 2025, demanding the immediate step down of the interim government
The Bangladesh Awami League (AL), which has been officially banned by the interim government, has vehemently rejected the death sentence handed down to its President and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
The party has announced a full-day nationwide shutdown for tomorrow (18 November), demanding the immediate step down of the interim government.
In a video message posted on the AL's verified Facebook page, the party's Presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak dismissed the judgment as "biased and politically motivated".
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"The verdict announced today is rejected by the people of Bengal. The people of Bengal do not accept, nor will they accept, this verdict," Nanak stated.
Raising questions about the judicial process, he claimed that the trial, which began on 14 August and concluded with the verdict on 17 November, was completed in just 20 days of court proceedings over two months, involving only 54 of the 84 original witnesses.
He claimed that the "main judge was absent for the past month", yet the court still delivered a verdict driven by "revenge against the people's beloved leader."
The banned political party's statement minutes after the sentencing described the call for Hasina's execution as revealing "the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government."
Despite its current ban, the Awami League announced that the shutdown will be observed across the nation tomorrow in protest of the verdict. Nanak declared the movement would continue until their final demand is met, "We will soon compel the [interim] government to step down."
