Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Six Months in Jail in Contempt of Court Case

In a landmark verdict, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to six months in prison for contempt of court. This marks her first conviction since her removal from office and subsequent exile in India.

According to The Dhaka Tribune, a three-member bench led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder announced the ruling, citing a leaked phone call from October 2024 in which Hasina allegedly made threatening remarks against the judiciary. The voice, identified as Hasina’s, was heard saying, “227 cases have been filed against me, so I have obtained a licence to kill 227 people.” The tribunal deemed the statement a direct threat to the judicial process and ruled it as contempt of court.

The same ruling also sentenced Shakil Akand Bulbul, a political figure from the Bangladesh Chhatra League, to two months in prison under similar charges.

Hasina’s sentence will be enforced upon her arrest or voluntary surrender. The verdict follows her ouster in August 2024 amid violent nationwide protests led by the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) movement. According to the United Nations, over 1,400 people lost their lives during the unrest.

After fleeing to India on August 5, 2024, Hasina has remained in exile. Several top officials from her administration are also facing legal proceedings related to the crackdown. Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus currently heads Bangladesh’s interim government.