"Pre-determined verdict": Awami League leader slams 'Illegal, unconstitutional' Yunus govt on Sheikh Hasina's death sentence

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 18 : Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, Organising Secretary, Bangladesh Awami League, slammed the "illegal and unconstitutional" Yunus government for announcing a "pre-determined verdict" against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina was on Monday sentenced to death for "crimes against humanity".

Nadel told ANI, "Sheikh Hasina is our Prime Minister, Awami League President and the daughter of our Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The illegal, unconstitutional, fascist Yunus government announced a pre-determined verdict against Sheikh Hasina. In the last 15 years, our Prime Minister and the Awami League worked for our country and the 17 crore people in our country. About eight crore people are directly or indirectly in government welfare, social and economic shelter... Yunus is a fascist, murderer and criminal because he promotes all Islamic activists in Bangladesh..."

He also alleged that there is "no law and order" in Bangladesh and everything is "unconstitutional"

"It is completely a political vendetta... In Bangladesh, after 5th August 2024, everything is unlawful, unconstitutional. There is no law and order. We tried to protest against it in our country, and we also tried to protest in the international community..."

He also called India a "great nation", which has given refuge to people who donot have any protection and Sheikh Hasian a "trusted friend" of the Indian government.

"India is a great nation. They always sheltered unsecured people, and Sheikh Hasina is a trusted friend of the Indian government...We try to protest in our own way. We declared a lockdown, a shutdown. We try to protest against the illegal government, illegal judgment. In the last 15 months, the law and order situation in our country has been very bad. The situation is very vulnerable for our women..."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday said that India has taken note of the verdict announced by the "International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh" concerning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said that India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh.

MEA underlined that India will always engage constructively with all stakeholders.

The statement said, "India has noted the verdict announced by the "International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh" concerning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including in peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country. We will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end."

A Bangladesh court on Monday afternoon found ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina guilty of committing "crimes against humanity" during the July-August uprising in 2024.

Local media reported that the International Crimes Tribunal-1 has sentenced Hasina to death.

The tribunal found the former PM guilty on all five charges of crimes against humanity, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

The Awami league leader, who is currently in exile in India was tried in absentia. The 78-year-old leader had fled to New Dehi after the fall of her regime in Dhaka.

Hasina responded to the verdict made against her, calling the decision made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate.

In a statement of Hasina shared by the Bangladesh Awami league, responding to the verdict, she said, "The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate. They are biased and politically motivated. In their distasteful call for the death penalty, they reveal the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government to remove Bangladesh's last elected prime minister, and to nullify the Awami League as a political force."

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