Hasina Trial Bangladesh Ex-PM Seeks Election Vote Ban Lift

Bangladesh’s ex-PM Sheikh Hasina, facing crimes against humanity charges, urges lifting her party’s election ban ahead of 2026 polls.

Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India amid mass protests in August 2024, has requested that the ban on her party, the Awami League, be lifted before the next general elections. The special tribunal trying her for alleged crimes against humanity is set to deliver its verdict soon.

Hasina is accused of orchestrating deadly crackdowns on student-led protests, which allegedly killed hundreds. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, claims Hasina denies. She asserts that she never ordered security forces to fire on unarmed civilians and calls the trial a “kangaroo court” politically motivated by her opponents.

Trial in Absentia and Evidence Presented

Over the past months, the tribunal has examined evidence, including leaked audio suggesting Hasina authorized the use of lethal force in July 2024. Alongside Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun face charges. Kamal is in hiding, while Al-Mamun pleaded guilty but awaits sentencing.

Hasina’s lawyers have appealed to the UN, highlighting serious fair trial and due process concerns. She insists the proceedings have denied her the right to defend herself or choose her legal representation.

Allegations of Secret Jails and Abuses

Following her ouster, authorities discovered secret detention facilities where critics and political opponents had been held for years. Many human rights groups allege extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances occurred under Hasina’s leadership, which she denies, though she supports impartial investigations if evidence exists.

Sheikh Hasina also faces separate corruption trials, which she and her allies reject. Despite the legal challenges, she emphasizes that the Awami League remains a vital part of Bangladesh’s political dialogue and insists that her supporters should not be disenfranchised.