1 / 7The Tribunal Verdict That Changed Everything | The International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka found Sheikh Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity for the 2024 crackdown on student-led protests. She was convicted of incitement, ordering lethal force, and failing to prevent atrocities. The court handed her the death penalty, ordered seizure of her properties, and sentenced several associates, with one turning state witness. She still retains the right to appeal in the Supreme Court. (Image: Reuters)
2 / 7Hasina’s Sharp Rebuke to the Ruling | From exile, Hasina dismissed the verdict as biased and politically motivated. She accused the interim government of trying to “eradicate the Awami League as a political force.” She also challenged authorities to take the case to the International Criminal Court, saying she was not afraid to face a fair tribunal where evidence could be properly examined. (Image: PTI)
3 / 7How Student Protests Evolved Into a Nationwide Uprising | Unrest began in June 2024 after a court reinstated a 30% quota in government jobs for families of 1971 war veterans, a system students said unfairly benefited Awami League supporters. Within weeks, anger spread across campuses, drawing tens of thousands into demonstrations nationwide. This movement quickly became the biggest challenge to Hasina’s rule in years. (Image: Reuters)
4 / 7Deadly Crackdown and Growing Public Anger | The government’s response triggered even more outrage. Paramilitary forces were deployed in mid-July, protesters were met with heavy force, and scores were killed. A strict curfew, shoot-on-sight orders, and suspension of mobile and internet services pushed the country into chaos. Even after the Supreme Court later struck down the quota system, the protests had already transformed into a full anti-government uprising. (Image: PTI)
5 / 7The Collapse of a 15-Year Regime | Hasina, the longest-serving female head of government in the world, had ruled Bangladesh for 15 consecutive years since 2009, after an earlier term from 1996–2001. But by August 5, 2024, the massive public revolt forced her to resign and flee. She took temporary refuge in India before the tribunal proceedings advanced without her. (Image: PTI)
6 / 7A Life Marked by Tragedy and Political Battles | Born in 1947 in Tungipara, Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding leader. Her life changed dramatically in 1975 when almost 18 members of her family were killed in a military coup. Only Hasina and her sister survived because they were abroad. She lived under a false identity in Delhi for six years before returning to Bangladesh in 1981 to lead the Awami League. (Image: AP)
7 / 7Milestones That Shaped Hasina’s Political Journey | Sheikh Hasina’s political journey spans from her brief detention during the 1971 liberation war to becoming Awami League president after returning from exile in 1981. She survived the 1975 coup that killed most of her family, endured a 2004 grenade attack, and was arrested on extortion charges in 2007 before returning to power in 2009. Hasina went on to rule for 15 uninterrupted years, winning successive elections in 2014 and 2019, and securing a fifth term in March 2024 amid vote-rigging allegations — months before nationwide protests forced her from office. (Image: Reuters)
