'No One Above Law': Yunus Welcomes Bangladesh Court’s Death Penalty Verdict Against Hasina

Last Updated:November 17, 2025, 21:38 IST

In his statement, Yunus said the tribunal’s ruling carried deep significance for a country attempting to rebuild after a turbulent period

Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus (IMAGE: AFP)

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, on Monday praised the special tribunal verdict that sentenced deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death, calling it a powerful reminder that “no one, regardless of power, is above the law."

The Crimes Tribunal–Bangladesh (ICT-BD) delivered the judgment in absentia, ruling that the two were responsible for “crimes against humanity" committed during last year’s student-led uprising.

Hasina, now 78, has been living in India since 5 August last year, when she fled Bangladesh amid huge demonstrations that eventually brought down her 16-year rule. She has already been declared a fugitive by the court, while Kamal is also believed to be staying in India.

In his statement, Yunus said the tribunal’s ruling carried deep significance for a country attempting to rebuild after a turbulent period.

“Today, the courts of Bangladesh have spoken with a clarity that resonates across the nation and beyond," he said. “The conviction and sentencing affirm a fundamental principle: no one, regardless of power, is above the law."

Yunus took charge as chief adviser of the interim government in August last year, three days after Hasina fled Dhaka. Since then, he has repeatedly stressed the need to restore democratic institutions and accountability.

Hasina, responding from exile, dismissed the ruling as “biased and politically motivated," claiming that the tribunal was “rigged" and run by an unelected administration with “no democratic mandate."

Yunus said the verdict brings long-awaited recognition to the victims of the protests in July and August 2024, during which a UN rights office estimated that as many as 1,400 people were killed.

“The crimes at issue – the ordering of lethal force against young people and children whose only weapons were their voices – violated both our laws and the basic bond between government and citizens. These acts outraged Bangladeshis’ core values: dignity, resilience, and commitment to justice," he said.

He added that evidence presented before the tribunal included accounts of helicopters being used to fire on unarmed demonstrators.

According to the ruling, Hasina was sentenced to death for authorising deadly force, issuing inflammatory remarks, and approving operations that led to the deaths of several students in Dhaka and nearby areas.

Yunus said the verdict acknowledged the suffering of thousands and confirmed that Bangladesh’s justice system “will hold perpetrators accountable."

He stressed that while the ruling was a major step, rebuilding trust in state institutions was equally essential. “I have every confidence that Bangladesh will meet the challenges ahead with courage and humility," he said.

“With commitment to the rule of law, human rights, and each person’s potential, justice will not merely survive in Bangladesh. It will prevail and sustain."

(With inputs from PTI)

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