Dhaka, Nov 18 Bangladesh’s Awami League party on Tuesday strongly rejected the verdict of the country’s so-called International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, calling the ruling “malicious, retaliatory, and vengeful”.
The statement came after the ICT on Monday pronounced a death sentence for the former Prime Minister after finding her guilty on the charges of "crimes against humanity" related to the demonstrations in July 2024.
The ICT also convicted two of Hasina's top aides, sentencing former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned state witness, to five years' imprisonment.
Slamming the Muhammad Yunus–led interim government, the party said in a press release dated November 17: “With deep anger and profound sorrow, we observe that instead of an elected government, the illegal, unconstitutional, unelected killer–fascist Yunus and his associates have unlawfully seized state power. Subsequently, they established an illegal tribunal in violation of the internationally recognised principles governing the International Crimes Tribunal. This tribunal is entirely illegal, malicious, vindictive, and driven by vengeance.”
The Awami League accused Yunus of taking this violent action against Hasina in order to secure his “unlawfully usurped” authority.
“To the people of Bangladesh and the world, the trial conducted by this illegal ICT has already become widely recognised as a farce. The illegal usurper killer–fascist Yunus is essentially conspiring to exile from politics the leaders rooted in the values of independence and the spirit of the Liberation War—particularly Bangabandhu’s daughter, Sheikh Hasina—as well as national leaders and progressive, non-communal people from various professions,” read a statement issued by the Awami League.
“No constitutional or legal process was followed in forming this ICT. This is because, during July–August 2024—under the government led by Deshratna Sheikh Hasina—no crimes under the jurisdiction of an International Crimes Tribunal (such as crimes against humanity or genocide) took place,” the statement added.
According to the statement, under the Bangladesh Constitution, power must be transferred from one elected government to another, while the Yunus-led interim government lacks constitutional legitimacy.
“Therefore, this farcical trial is entirely unacceptable and contrary to justice and the rule of law. The accused were not given any opportunity to defend themselves. Even the government-appointed lawyer did not communicate with Sheikh Hasina even once,” it mentioned.
The Awami League expressed hope that all pro-Liberation forces would build an unyielding movement against the verdict, while announcing that the ongoing shutdown program has been extended until Tuesday.
“Our systematic democratic movement will continue until the fall of the illegal, unconstitutional government of killer–fascist Yunus and the restoration of a democratic state system,” the party asserted.
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