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Sheikh Hasina charged with 'crimes against humanity' during 2024 protests

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two senior officials have been charged with 'crimes against humanity' by Bangladeshi prosecutors for their alleged roles during the mass protests in July 2024, which led to the ousting of the Awami League leader. The tribunal hearing was broadcast live on state-run BTV — the first such instance in the country's history. According to the Dhaka Tribune, Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) identified Hasina as the "key instigator" behind the mass killings that took place across the country in July and August last year. In addition to Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Mamun have also been named as co-accused. On 12 May, investigators submitted a report alleging that Hasina had ordered the killings. ICT Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam claimed that more than 1,500 individuals were killed, over 25,000 injured, and countless others subjected to torture and other inhumane treatment, The Daily Star reported. Hasina is already facing two additional cases filed with the ICT: one concerning her alleged role in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during the Awami League's tenure, and another related to the deaths during the 2013 Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel. What happened in Bangladesh in July 2024? The unrest was triggered by a Supreme Court decision on 5 June 2024 that reinstated a 30 per cent quota in civil service jobs for descendants of 1971 Liberation War veterans, overturning a 2018 executive order that had abolished such reservations. Many students viewed this as a barrier to merit-based employment, particularly amid high youth unemployment. Initially peaceful demonstrations at Dhaka University and other campuses turned violent following a harsh government crackdown. The situation escalated into what became known as the 'July Massacre', with estimates of over 1,000 deaths. On August 5, 2024, following continued unrest and international pressure, Hasina resigned and fled to India. An interim government was established, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.