• Sheikh Hasina is on trial for orchestrating a systematic attack during protests in 2024 that left up to 1,400 dead.
• The charges include crimes against humanity, abetment, incitement, and failure to prevent mass murder.
• Hasina remains in self-imposed exile in India and rejected the allegations as politically motivated.
• The trial is being held at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) and is being broadcast live on television.
• This prosecution is a significant demand from political opponents leading up to elections promised by June 2026.

The trial of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has commenced in Bangladesh, where she faces serious allegations of orchestrating a "systematic attack" against protesters during a violent crackdown in 2024, leading to an estimated 1,400 deaths, according to United Nations reports. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is leading this prosecution, which also includes charges against former Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, both connected to Hasina's former government. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam stated that there was substantial evidence supporting the charges of "coordinated, widespread and systematic attack," highlighting the misuse of law enforcement against civilians, according to TRT Global and Aljazeera.

During the opening of the trial, prosecutors declared that Hasina had utilized all law enforcement agencies and armed party members in her attempt to suppress public dissent. Hasina, who has fled to India, defied an extradition order to return to her country, whereby she rejected the charges as politically motivated. The ICT, established by Hasina in 2009, now faces scrutiny over its impartiality as it sets to prosecute her and other senior officials, a move demanded by several political factions in the lead-up to upcoming elections promised before June 2026, as reported by India Times and South China Morning Post.

As the trial proceedings are being broadcast live, the prosecution outlined that the crackdown falling between July and August 2024, was explicitly directed by Hasina, leading to events such as detailed accounts of police opening fire on demonstrators and other inhumane actions categorized as crimes against humanity. The key legal arguments focus on various charges, including abetment, incitement, and conspiracy, framing the actions as attempts to stifle a genuine political uprising against her regime, according to Channel News Asia and India Times.

Prosecutors have indicated that extensive evidence has been amassed, including video footage, audio recordings, and victim testimonies to substantiate their claims of a concerted effort to quash dissent through violence. The previous hearing that opened on May 25 involved charges against several police officials related to the protests just preceding Hasina's flight to India, raising the stakes as public demand for accountability continues to grow, as stated by India Times, TRT Global, and Channel News Asia.