Bangladesh Crisis: Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death as Nation Navigates Political Turmoil Under Yunus

Bangladesh's political landscape witnessed a seismic shift as a special tribunal sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for alleged 'crimes against humanity' during the 2024 anti-government protests that toppled her Awami League government. Tried in absentia after fleeing the country, Hasina has been declared a fugitive.

Under Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal law, Hasina cannot appeal this verdict unless she returns or faces arrest within 30 days.

The three-member judicial panel, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, also pronounced similar sentences against Hasina's close associates - former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun on identical charges.

Authorities have heightened security nationwide, with Dhaka police reportedly authorized to use lethal force against demonstrators "who show intent to kill."

The political crisis began in June 2024 when the High Court reinstated a controversial civil service quota system, particularly reserving 30 percent of positions for descendants of 1971 liberation war veterans. This decision sparked immediate student protests.

By early July 2024, massive student sit-ins had spread across Dhaka's universities and major intersections. The situation deteriorated when Hasina referred to the protesters as "Razakars" - a term associated with traitors during Bangladesh's Liberation War.

Violent clashes erupted between demonstrators and government-aligned student groups. Authorities responded with curfews, internet restrictions, and military deployments. According to a February 2025 UN human rights report, approximately 1,400 people were killed under Hasina's orders between July 15 and August 15 in what became known as the "July Uprising."

Although the Supreme Court modified the quota system on July 21, recommending 93 percent merit-based recruitment, protests expanded beyond the original issue to demand justice for casualties and ultimately Hasina's resignation.

The situation reached a critical point on August 4 when nearly 100 people reportedly died in a single day of government crackdowns. The following morning, Hasina resigned and fled Bangladesh. The Parliament was dissolved, and within days, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed to lead an interim government following negotiations between student leaders, military officials, and the presidency.

Since August 2024, Yunus has guided Bangladesh through its most challenging transitional period in recent history. Ten months into his administration, progress remains mixed: reform initiatives have advanced, but economic and political instability persists.

Despite Hasina's impressive economic legacy of strong garment exports, rising GDP per capita, and infrastructure development, she left behind significant challenges: high youth unemployment (83 percent of unemployed were aged 15-29), inflation reaching 11.7 percent, widespread informal employment, a disrupted garment sector, and according to local media reports, approximately Rs 20,500 crore in illicit financial outflows and inflated project costs.

The Yunus administration has prioritized reforms by appointing new technocrats, restructuring the banking sector, and recovering bad loans. Inflation has reportedly decreased to 9.05 percent, and exports have rebounded. However, youth unemployment remains severe with 2.1 million jobs lost, and garment workers have seen no wage increases.

Though unelected, Yunus's government has made notable institutional changes: reopening human rights commissions, emptying secret detention centers, prosecuting senior police officials for past abuses, initiating judiciary and security reforms, and proposing a July Charter for constitutional amendments to be voted on during the 2026 elections.

Tensions continue as civil servants protest new dismissal policies, teachers engage in strikes, and journalists report ongoing harassment.

Religious organizations like Jamaat-e-Islami have gained prominence. Religious minorities face increased intimidation, and incidents such as the July 2025 violence in Gopalganj demonstrate persistent instability.

Bangladesh's foreign policy has dramatically shifted under Yunus: diplomatic relations with Pakistan have resumed after decades, ties with China have strengthened (including approximately Rs 18,270 crore in loans and development of an industrial zone in Chattogram), and the country formally opposed "Taiwan independence" for the first time.

These changes have strained relations with India, which has restricted visas, port access, and imports. Yunus also faces challenges in negotiations with the United States, Bangladesh's primary export destination.

Currently, Bangladesh's interim government has achieved some macroeconomic stability with lower inflation, improved exports, and an IMF-supported reform program.

Nevertheless, significant challenges remain: World Bank forecasts indicate GDP growth may drop to 3.3 percent, potentially pushing three million people into poverty in 2025, political unrest continues regarding reforms and election timelines, various factions (including pro-Hasina groups) are reasserting themselves, and foreign policy shifts complicate economic recovery efforts.

National elections are scheduled for April 2026, alongside a referendum on comprehensive constitutional reforms.