Dhaka, Bangladesh — Despite a call for a nationwide shutdown by the former ruling party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s capital and major cities remained calm on Tuesday. The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death in absentia on Monday for their roles in the violent crackdown on student protests last year. The Awami League, Hasina’s party, dismissed the court’s decision as a “kangaroo court” and urged a nationwide strike. However, life continued as usual on Tuesday, with no closures of services, shops, or schools, though uncertainty loomed over the nation’s future. The protests, which erupted in July and August 2023, were fueled by discontent over a government job quota system allegedly favoring Hasina’s allies. The crackdown resulted in over 800 deaths and 14,000 injuries, according to the interim government. Hasina, 78, was convicted on five counts of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment for inciting violence and ordering lethal force against protesters. She and Khan fled to India, which has refused to extradite them, making their execution or imprisonment unlikely. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, criticized the trial, citing concerns over fairness and due process. The sentencing comes as Bangladesh navigates political instability under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, with elections planned for February.
Bangladesh remains calm a day after tribunal issues death sentence for ousted prime minister
