Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia for ordering a violent crackdown on student-led protests, marking a significant political development in the country. The verdict, delivered in a crimes against humanity case, found her guilty of ordering security forces to use deadly weapons during the protests, resulting in an estimated 1,400 deaths, most by gunfire. Hasina, who fled to India after the 2024 uprising, criticized the verdict as politically motivated, asserting it was a foregone conclusion. The case also charges ex-Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, with the latter appearing in court. The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, is preparing for elections in 2026, with Hasina’s Awami League barred from participating.