Ex Bangladesh PM Hasina rejects ICT verdicts, calls tribunal “rigged” and politically driven

Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has strongly rejected the verdicts delivered against her by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), calling the process “rigged, biased, and politically motivated.” 

In a detailed written statement issued in the name of the Bangladesh Awami League on November 17, Hasina accused the interim government of using the tribunal to eliminate her politically and dismantle the Awami League as a national force.

Hasina alleged that the tribunal was formed and run by an “unelected administration with no democratic mandate,” and claimed that the push for a death penalty against her reflects the “brazen and murderous intent” of extremist elements operating within the interim setup. She said the trials were never meant to deliver justice for the July–August 2025 violence but to “scapegoat the Awami League” and divert attention from the failures of the current administration led by Dr Muhammad Yunus.

According to the statement, Hasina denied all charges of human rights violations, saying the allegations lack evidence and context. She defended her government’s human rights record, pointing to Bangladesh’s membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC), its sheltering of Rohingya refugees, and its development indicators during her 15 years in office. She highlighted economic growth, improved electricity access, and gains in education as proof of her government’s commitment to public welfare.

Hasina also accused the interim government of presiding over a deteriorating law-and-order situation marked by suppression of the media, attacks on Awami League supporters, and rising insecurity for minorities. She warned that Bangladesh’s democratic future is at risk, noting that no citizen has voted for the current administration or for Dr Yunus.

Reaffirming her stance, Hasina said she has challenged the tribunal’s decisions before the International Criminal Court, expressing confidence that an impartial judicial process would clear her of all charges. She added that the interim authorities fear international scrutiny of their own human rights record.

The Awami League’s statement comes at a time of heightened political tension in Bangladesh, with the country preparing for national elections next year. Hasina urged that the electoral process remain free, fair, and inclusive, stating that Bangladesh’s future “belongs to its people, not to an unelected government.”