Bangladesh sentences Hasina-era minister to death over 2024 uprising murders

The Bangladesh court convicted four former Awami League leaders over six killings during the 2024 uprising. Md Mahbubul Alam Hanif, the party’s joint general secretary and a former minister, received a death sentence in absentia. The source does not name the other three leaders, who received life imprisonment. The decision links senior party figures to violence that helped end Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule.

The three-member tribunal said prosecutors had proved the charges involving killings in western Kushtia district. It also ordered half of the men’s immovable property confiscated. Those assets are to support compensation for families of people killed or injured.

The United Nations says up to 1,400 people died during the unrest. The wider cases have produced 72 convictions, including 23 death sentences; only four condemned people are in custody. Hasina rejects the court’s authority, while Bangladesh’s government has requested her extradition from India.

Being sentenced in absentia means a court gives a verdict or punishment while the accused person is not present. It can allow a case to proceed when someone stays abroad, but enforcement becomes difficult without arrest or return.

In this case, Bangladesh sentenced Md Mahbubul Alam Hanif, an Awami League leader, to death in absentia. A state-appointed defense lawyer called the verdict “unacceptable,” showing legal representation may still occur when the accused is away. The punishment cannot be carried out unless Hanif is arrested or returned through legal cooperation.

The wider example is former premier Sheikh Hasina, who remains in India after fleeing Bangladesh in August 2024. She was sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025, and Bangladesh has requested her extradition. The article says 72 people have been convicted over the uprising; 23 received death sentences, but only four are in custody. An absentia sentence records the court’s judgment but does not guarantee arrest or punishment abroad.

Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising was a deadly confrontation that ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule. The United Nations estimates that as many as 1,400 people were killed during the unrest.

The latest convictions involve four Awami League leaders accused of killing six people in Kushtia. Md Mahbubul Alam Hanif received a death sentence in absentia, while three others received life imprisonment. The tribunal also ordered half their immovable property confiscated for compensation.

Thursday’s ruling brings the total convicted for uprising-related crimes to 72. Of these, 23 received death sentences, but only four are currently in custody. These figures show the scale of the violence and the challenge of enforcing judgments against people outside Bangladesh.

The 2024 uprising was a student-led mass movement against Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh. It mattered because the government’s attempted suppression caused enormous loss of life and ultimately ended her 15-year rule.

Between July and August, as protests spread, the government tried to crush them. The United Nations estimates that as many as 1,400 people were killed. The pressure culminated in August 2024, when Hasina fled by helicopter to neighboring India, where she remains in hiding.

Her departure ended her government, but the uprising’s consequences continue. Courts have convicted 72 people over related crimes; 23 received death sentences, although only four are in custody. Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025, and Bangladesh has requested her extradition.

The verdict exposes the convicted leaders to severe penalties: Hanif faces death, while three others face life imprisonment. It also orders half their immovable property confiscated, potentially directing money toward families of those killed or injured.

Hanif was convicted in absentia for six killings in Kushtia. The property order creates a clear route for compensation. For families, this could provide support, although the article does not say when payments will begin.

Politically, the ruling may give Bangladesh stronger grounds to press India for Hasina’s extradition. The government has already requested her return, but the article reports no Indian decision. Hasina remains in India, rejects the court’s authority, and says she will return voluntarily in December. The verdict raises pressure around her case, but does not guarantee extradition or her appearance.

Extradition is the formal process of transferring a person from one country to another for trial or punishment. It usually follows a request, legal review, and cooperation between both governments.

Bangladesh has requested India’s extradition of former premier Sheikh Hasina. India could refuse if she might face execution, an unfair trial, or persecution, unless Bangladesh provides acceptable legal guarantees. The source does not say India has accepted or rejected the request.

This case remains unresolved because Hasina is still in hiding in India. She was sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025 and says she will return voluntarily in December. Bangladesh’s court has now convicted 72 people over the 2024 uprising, including 23 death sentences. If India declines extradition, Bangladesh may struggle to enforce Hasina’s sentence unless she returns or is otherwise transferred. Any decision could also affect relations between the neighboring countries.

Courts should separate political blame from proven personal responsibility. They must connect each defendant to specific acts, intent, or orders. Defendants need disclosed evidence, legal representation, an impartial tribunal, and a chance to challenge witnesses.

In the source case, Bangladesh convicted Md Mahbubul Alam Hanif and three Awami League leaders over six Kushtia deaths. Judges should identify each defendant’s conduct and test evidence carefully. Hanif was sentenced to death in absentia, so notice, effective representation, and a genuine retrial opportunity are essential.

The case also shows the challenge’s scale. The United Nations says 1,400 people died during July and August 2024. Thursday’s ruling brought convictions to 72, including 23 death sentences. Fair trials may take time, but they strengthen verdicts and reduce political retaliation. Property compensation can help victims’ families, but it cannot replace proof and appeal rights.