Bangladesh Awami League Calls Nationwide Shutdown Over Hasina Death Verdict

Bangladesh’s Awami League has announced a nationwide shutdown on Tuesday.

The party also called for protests and demonstrations across the country from November 19-21.

This decision comes after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) delivered a death sentence to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The verdict sentenced former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death.

The tribunal sentenced former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun to five years’ imprisonment.

Awami League Demands Action

The Awami League rejected the verdict, calling it “illegal” and part of a politically motivated scheme.

The Awami League said the ICT tribunal was illegal and set up by the unelected interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

The party added that the tribunal conducted a farcical trial against Sheikh Hasina and others.

It accused the tribunal of trampling on Bangladesh’s laws and legal system. The party called the verdict a premeditated attempt to take revenge and weaken the Awami League as a political force.

Former PM Hasina also criticised the ICT ruling. She said the verdict came from a “rigged tribunal” under a government that lacks a democratic mandate.

Hasina termed the judgment biased and politically motivated. She alleged that extremist elements in the interim government aimed to remove her and nullify the Awami League.

The former PM accused the tribunal of failing to deliver justice or provide genuine insight into the July-August 2024 protests.

“The trials never aimed for justice. They were designed to scapegoat the Awami League and distract from the interim government’s failures,” she said.

Hasina warned that millions of Bangladeshis suffering under the chaotic and violent administration would not accept such attempts to undermine democratic rights.

The ICT, established to prosecute crimes against humanity, is now at the centre of political tensions.

Hasina’s supporters argue that the tribunal’s actions violate democratic principles and international standards.

The Awami League vowed to mobilise citizens in protests and resist the verdict.

Bangladesh now faces heightened political unrest as the public reacts to the controversial ruling, and security forces prepare for nationwide demonstrations.

Also Read: Sheikh Hasina Slams ‘Rigged Tribunal’; Calls Verdict Biased & Politically Driven