Ex-Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death over brutal protests crackdown

The political career of Sheikh Hasina is the most dramatic, polarizing, and eventually tragic among a few political careers in South Asia. Once feted as Bangladesh’s most powerful and longest-serving prime minister, Hasina was convicted of “crimes against humanity” and sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal. Her fall constitutes one of the most spectacular reversals in modern political history-a story of power, protest, and the fragility of authority.

A Dynasty Born in the Shadow of History

Born in 1947 in East Bengal, Sheikh Hasina inherited not just a legacy but a political destiny. As the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the revered “Father of the Nation,” Hasina grew up at the heart of Bangladesh’s political transformation. The leadership of her father steered Bangladesh to independence in 1971, and his assassination in 1975 cemented the family’s tragic connection to the nation’s turbulent politics.

After years of political struggle and exile, Hasina stepped into the leadership mantle of the Awami League with a resolve to preserve the political legacy of her father and carve out her niche in Bangladesh’s democratic landscape.

The Making of a Powerful Prime Minister

Hasina first became prime minister in 1996, serving until 2001. Her governance was marked by efforts to strengthen economic stability and pursue war crimes justice linked to Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War. However, it is her second tenure, from 2009 to 2024, that defined her political persona.

During this 15-year stint in power without interruption, Hasina turned Bangladesh into an up-and-coming economic player. During her rule:

• Major infrastructure projects like the Padma Bridge propelled national development.
• Economic growth soared, winning praise from international financial institutions

The poverty rates declined significantly:

• The garment industry diversified into an international force

The Descent into Authoritarianism

Yet despite all her achievements, critics increasingly accused Sheikh Hasina of running Bangladesh with an iron grip. Allegations of widespread crackdowns on opposition, suppression of media, rigged elections, and targeted arrests created a reputation for authoritarian rule.

Opposition parties, civil society groups, and international observers had regularly criticized the weakening of democracy in Bangladesh. But Hasina’s government rejected the criticism, saying firm control was necessary for stability and economic progress.

The Student Uprising That Changed Everything

In August 2024, large numbers of students in Bangladesh staged protests that spiraled into one of the biggest civil uprisings the country has ever seen. Demonstrations have sharply escalated following reports of the excessive use of force against unarmed protesters. The unrest shook Hasina’s political foundation so much that she had to flee for refuge in India.

The one-time unchallenged political titan now found herself in isolation, her party fractured, and her leadership rejected by those streets that once celebrated her.

Conviction and the Final Fall

The death sentence of Sheikh Hasina by the International Crimes Tribunal shocked the region. This verdict had implicated her for “crimes against humanity,” including firing at unarmed civilians during protests. Supporters call the charges politically motivated; opponents argue it is long-overdue accountability.

Either way, the dramatic transition — from commanding unquestioned authority to facing execution — is unprecedented in South Asian politics.

The political sojourn of Sheikh Hasina reminds one that power, however absolute it may appear, can come crashing down overnight. She rose as the torchbearer of her father’s dream, became the architect of Bangladesh’s economic transformation, and fell as one of the most controversial leaders of her era.

Her story will remain etched in Bangladesh’s history, a sad saga of leadership and ambition, a tale of the consequences of political overreach.

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