Special correspondent, Dhaka Bangladesh`s deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during July uprising last year. Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was also awarded death penalty while former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who became a state witness, was sentenced to five years` imprisonment in the case. The court also ordered to confiscate the properties of Hasina and Asaduzzaman in favour of the state. Asaduzzaman is fugitive while Mamun is in custody and has pleaded guilty. Mamun has also become a state witness, the first accused to do so since the tribunal was set up in 2010. The three-member International Crimes Tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, started reading portions of the 453-page judgement around 12:30pm, amid tight security and a packed courtroom. According to the judgement, Hasina, 78, who is now in India, was sentenced to death on two counts. She was handed the death penalty for charge 4 concerning the shooting and killing of six unarmed protesters in Dhaka`s Chankharpul on August 5 last year. Under charge 5, the defendants were charged with shooting six student protesters in Ashulia on the same day -- five of whom were later burned after death, while the sixth was allegedly set on fire while still alive. Hasina was also sentenced to imprisonment until natural death for making inflammatory remarks and ordering the use of deadly weapons against protesting students. Under charge 2, she was found guilty of ordering the extermination of student protesters through the use of helicopters, drones, and lethal weapons. Hasina, meanwhile, in a statement said the verdict announced against her today was "biased and politically motivated". "I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where evidence can be weighed and tested fairly," Reuters quoted Hasina as saying. According to the tribunal, Asaduzzaman was sentenced to death on two charges. Prosecutors filed five charges against the accused, including failure to prevent murder, amounting to crimes against humanity under Bangladeshi law. They have sought the death penalty if the accused are found guilty. Prosecutors also asked the tribunal to confiscate the three defendants` assets if convicted and distribute them among the victims` families. The defence, however, expressed hope for their acquittal. Hasina has denied all charges. This was the tribunal`s first verdict on the atrocities committed during the uprising. The court`s delivery of the verdict was aired live on Bangladesh Television and private TV channels. Hasina is also facing three more cases at the ICT, two over enforced disappearances and one concerning the alleged mass killings at Motijheel`s Shapla Chattar in 2013. Kamal faces two enforced disappearance cases. On July 2, ICT-1 sentenced Hasina to six months` simple imprisonment for contempt of court over remarks made during a phone conversation with a local leader about the tribunal. The tribunal, for months, heard testimonies alleging she ordered mass killings. After the uprising last year, a complaint alleging crimes against humanity against Hasina was filed with the ICT investigation agency. Investigators then opened a probe and, after completing it, submitted a report to the Chief Prosecutor`s Office on May 12. The prosecution submitted a 135-page charge sheet, accompanied by 8,747 pages of documents and evidence. Formal charges against Hasina, Kamal, and Mamun were submitted to ICT-1 on June 1. The tribunal took cognisance of the case the same day and ordered the trial to begin. On July 10, it framed charges against the accused. Proceedings began on August 4 with the testimony from the first prosecution witness. Of the 81 witnesses listed, 54, including former IGP Mamun and the investigation officer, testified. After the arguments closed on October 23, the tribunal fixed November 13 for setting the judgement date. On that day, the three-member bench, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, set November 17 for the verdict. Centring the verdict, a four-layer security blanket has been deployed around the tribunal, comprising the army, Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, police, and the Armed Police Battalion. Movement of all types of vehicles along the road stretching from the High Court gate to Doyel Chattar has been restricted. THE CHARGES Count-1 charged the defendants with murder, attempted murder, torture, and other inhumane acts. They were accused of abetting, inciting, facilitating, being complicit in, and failing to prevent crimes committed against civilians by law enforcement and armed cadres of the Awami League and its affiliates. Count-2 charges include ordering the use of lethal weapons, helicopters, and drones to subdue student protesters, with the accused allegedly guilty of superior command responsibility, complicity, facilitation, and conspiracy. Count-3 relates to the murder of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayed on July 16, where they issued orders, incited, abetted, facilitated, conspired and were complicit in the crime. Count-4 accuses the defendants of orchestrating the murder of six unarmed protesters in the capital`s Chankharpul on August 5 by direct order, incitement, abetment, facilitation, complicity, and conspiracy. Count-5 concerns the shooting dead of five protesters and the injury of another. It also accuses the three of burning the five dead bodies and another protester alive, with the defendants allegedly involved through complicity, facilitation, and instigation.

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman has described the verdict against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other accused in the crimes against humanity case as a landmark ruling. He said: “Through this verdict, justice has been served to the martyrs, and the rule of law has been upheld in the state. We are also satisfied with this outcome.” He made the remarks to journalists on Monday following the pronouncement of the verdict by International Crimes Tribunal-1. The attorney general added: “This verdict reflects accountability towards the martyrs, the nation, its people, the Constitution, the rule of law, and future generations.” The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Monday sentenced ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for crimes against humanity committed during the July Uprising. Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun has been sentenced to five years in prison after confessing to his guilt and testifying as a public witness against the former prime minister and home minister in the tribunal. Meanwhile, Bangladesh`s deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during July uprising last year. Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was also awarded death penalty while former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who became a state witness, was sentenced to five years` imprisonment in the case. The court also ordered to confiscate the properties of Hasina and Asaduzzaman in favour of the state. Asaduzzaman is fugitive while Mamun is in custody and has pleaded guilty. Mamun has also become a state witness, the first accused to do so since the tribunal was set up in 2010. The three-member International Crimes Tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, started reading portions of the 453-page judgement around 12:30pm, amid tight security and a packed courtroom. According to the judgement, Hasina, 78, who is now in India, was sentenced to death on two counts. She was handed the death penalty for charge 4 concerning the shooting and killing of six unarmed protesters in Dhaka`s Chankharpul on August 5 last year. Under charge 5, the defendants were charged with shooting six student protesters in Ashulia on the same day -- five of whom were later burned after death, while the sixth was allegedly set on fire while still alive. Hasina was also sentenced to imprisonment until natural death for making inflammatory remarks and ordering the use of deadly weapons against protesting students. Under charge 2, she was found guilty of ordering the extermination of student protesters through the use of helicopters, drones, and lethal weapons. Hasina, meanwhile, in a statement said the verdict announced against her today was "biased and politically motivated". "I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where evidence can be weighed and tested fairly," Reuters quoted Hasina as saying. According to the tribunal, Asaduzzaman was sentenced to death on two charges. Prosecutors filed five charges against the accused, including failure to prevent murder, amounting to crimes against humanity under Bangladeshi law. They have sought the death penalty if the accused are found guilty. Prosecutors also asked the tribunal to confiscate the three defendants` assets if convicted and distribute them among the victims` families. The defence, however, expressed hope for their acquittal. Hasina has denied all charges. This was the tribunal`s first verdict on the atrocities committed during the uprising. The court`s delivery of the verdict was aired live on Bangladesh Television and private TV channels. Hasina is also facing three more cases at the ICT, two over enforced disappearances and one concerning the alleged mass killings at Motijheel`s Shapla Chattar in 2013. Kamal faces two enforced disappearance cases. On July 2, ICT-1 sentenced Hasina to six months` simple imprisonment for contempt of court over remarks made during a phone conversation with a local leader about the tribunal. The tribunal, for months, heard testimonies alleging she ordered mass killings. After the uprising last year, a complaint alleging crimes against humanity against Hasina was filed with the ICT investigation agency. Investigators then opened a probe and, after completing it, submitted a report to the Chief Prosecutor`s Office on May 12. The prosecution submitted a 135-page charge sheet, accompanied by 8,747 pages of documents and evidence. Formal charges against Hasina, Kamal, and Mamun were submitted to ICT-1 on June 1. The tribunal took cognisance of the case the same day and ordered the trial to begin. On July 10, it framed charges against the accused. Proceedings began on August 4 with the testimony from the first prosecution witness. Of the 81 witnesses listed, 54, including former IGP Mamun and the investigation officer, testified. After the arguments closed on October 23, the tribunal fixed November 13 for setting the judgement date. On that day, the three-member bench, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, set November 17 for the verdict. Centring the verdict, a four-layer security blanket has been deployed around the tribunal, comprising the army, Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, police, and the Armed Police Battalion. Movement of all types of vehicles along the road stretching from the High Court gate to Doyel Chattar has been restricted. THE CHARGES Count-1 charged the defendants with murder, attempted murder, torture, and other inhumane acts. They were accused of abetting, inciting, facilitating, being complicit in, and failing to prevent crimes committed against civilians by law enforcement and armed cadres of the Awami League and its affiliates. Count-2 charges include ordering the use of lethal weapons, helicopters, and drones to subdue student protesters, with the accused allegedly guilty of superior command responsibility, complicity, facilitation, and conspiracy. Count-3 relates to the murder of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayed on July 16, where they issued orders, incited, abetted, facilitated, conspired and were complicit in the crime. Count-4 accuses the defendants of orchestrating the murder of six unarmed protesters in the capital`s Chankharpul on August 5 by direct order, incitement, abetment, facilitation, complicity, and conspiracy. Count-5 concerns the shooting dead of five protesters and the injury of another. It also accuses the three of burning the five dead bodies and another protester alive, with the defendants allegedly involved through complicity, facilitation, and instigation.

Staff Correspondent The Russian Navy ship Grimyashka arrived at Chittagong Port on Monday for a five-day goodwill visit, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release. The ship was welcomed by the Chief Staff Officer of the Chittagong Naval Region, who greeted the officers and sailors on board. A traditional performance by the navy’s well-equipped band accompanied the arrival. During the visit, a Russian delegation is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on the commander of the Chittagong Naval Region, the commander of the BN Fleet, the area superintendent dockyard, and the chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority. Bangladesh Navy officials said the visit aims to strengthen mutual cooperation between the two navies and create new opportunities for training and professional knowledge exchange. The ship is expected to depart on November 21.

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus yesterday said the conviction and sentence delivered to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates affirm a fundamental principle that no one, regardless of power, is above the law. "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," he said in a statement issued by his press wing tonight. This verdict offers vital, if insufficient, justice to the thousands harmed in the uprising of July and August 2024, and to the families who still carry their loss, the Chief Adviser said. "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," he added. Prof Yunus said these acts outraged Bangladeshis` core values: dignity, resilience, and commitment to justice. "As many as 1,400 lives were lost. They were not statistics but students, parents, and citizens with rights," he said, adding, months of testimony detailed how lethal force, even from helicopters, was used against unarmed protesters. "This verdict recognizes their suffering and confirms that our justice system will hold perpetrators accountable," the Chief Adviser said. Noting that Bangladesh is now rejoining global currents of accountability, he said "The students and citizens who stood for change understood this, and many paid with their lives-giving their today for our tomorrow". The path ahead requires not just legal accountability but rebuilding trust between institutions and citizens, Prof Yunus said, adding, understanding why people risk everything for genuine representation-and creating systems worthy of that trust-is essential. "Today`s verdict is a step on that journey," he said. "I have every confidence that Bangladesh will meet the challenges ahead with courage and humility," the Chief Adviser added. With commitment to the rule of law, human rights, and each person`s potential, justice will not merely survive in Bangladesh, Prof Yunus said, adding, "It will prevail and sustain." Earlier, today, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for the crimes against humanity committed during the July-August 2024 mass uprising. Alongside this, the Tribunal has awarded former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun a "lenient sentence" of five years` imprisonment for making a full disclosure of the events and cooperating with investigators as state approver.

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Monday said that non-cooperation by parties could result in a questionable election despite all the measures taken by the commission to hold a fair election. He made the remarks while presiding over a dialogue with representatives of registered political parties at the Election Commission building in Agargaon in the morning. The CEC said previous experiences had shown that a fair and orderly election was not possible without the complete cooperation of political parties and their members. "If they choose not to cooperate or deliberately create obstacles, the credibility of the election may be compromised. It may put the election in question," he cautioned. Seeking everyone`s joint efforts and cooperation, he said: "You, as national leaders, are entrusted with guiding the country. There is no reason for us to think you care any less for the nation than we do." Reaffirming the commission`s commitment to hold an acceptable election, he said preparations were underway to ensure a transparent and impartial voting environment. "Our intentions are clear, and our actions reflect our commitment. Whatever challenges arise, we will face them and take every necessary step to uphold a fair and credible election. For this, your cooperation is crucial," he added. Nasir Uddin noted that the Election Commission had taken on several major tasks after assuming responsibility, including updating the voter list and undertaking new initiatives not attempted before. "Despite limitations, we have not stopped. We have moved forward successfully so far. Inshallah, we are ready for the days ahead," he added. He urged political parties to ensure full adherence to the electoral code of conduct in three phases- before election day, on the day of voting, and the day after to help maintain a smooth election process. "Encourage your candidates and campaign activists to follow the code. When you ensure compliance, our work becomes significantly easier," he said. Emphasising collective responsibility, the CEC said: "The country belongs to all of us. If we want to leave a better nation for future generations, we must support a fair and dignified election. If capable leaders are elected through such a process, a brighter future awaits the country." Election Commissioners Brigadier General Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah (retd), Tahmida Ahmed and Md Anwarul Islam Sarkar, among others, joined the dialogue. Six parties took part in the morning session: Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijot, Bangladesh National Awami Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Kalyan Party and Bangladesh Muslim League-BML. The Election Commission is scheduled to sit with six more parties, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), Bangladesh Development Party, Bangladesh Islami Front, Khelafat Majlis and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA) at 2pm on Monday.