Ex-Bangladesh PM Hasina sentenced to 6 months by ICT in contempt case
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Dhaka: Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to six months in prison in a contempt of court case, according to a report by The Dhaka Tribune. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday by a three-member bench headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder.
This is the first instance of Hasina being convicted since she stepped down from office and fled the country nearly 11 months ago. The tribunal also handed a two-month prison sentence to Shakil Akand Bulbul of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha, while acquitting him of other charges.
Hasina, the ousted leader of the Awami League, was formally charged by the ICT in June 2025 with crimes against humanity. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and his team alleged that Hasina was the chief instigator of mass killings that took place during a nationwide uprising in July and August 2024.
On August 5, 2024, amid escalating unrest in Dhaka, Hasina resigned from her position, vacated her official residence, and fled to India. Defying a government-imposed curfew, thousands of protesters had taken to the streets. Hasina departed by helicopter, which reportedly entered Indian airspace, circled for a time, and landed at a Border Security Force (BSF) helipad in Agartala. From there, she travelled to Delhi and was received at the Indian Air Force base in Hindon.
The sentencing adds another dramatic turn in Bangladesh's political crisis and ongoing proceedings against top figures of the former government.