Bangladesh Tribunal Hands Death Sentences to Former Police Officials for 2024 Protest Atrocities
In a landmark verdict, Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has delivered death sentences to three former high-ranking police officers for their involvement in crimes against humanity during the violent 2024 protests that ultimately led to the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The judgment, announced on Monday, marks a significant chapter in the country's ongoing reckoning with the events of that tumultuous period.
Death Penalty for Former Dhaka Police Leadership
The three-judge ICT panel, presided over by Justice Mohammad Golam Mortuza Mozumder, convicted and sentenced to death the following former officials in absentia:
- Habibur Rahman, former Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)
- Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former Joint Commissioner of DMP
- Mohammad Akhtarul Islam, former Additional Deputy Commissioner
The tribunal's judgment explicitly stated that these individuals held superior status over their subordinates and were therefore liable under the principle of superior command responsibility. They were found guilty for their roles in the crackdown on protesters, which was carried out under the directives of the then Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.
Context of the 2024 'July Uprising'
The convictions are directly linked to the 2024 'July uprising', a series of violent protests that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators. The ICT had previously identified Sheikh Hasina as the "mastermind and principal architect" of the brutal repression. Following the unrest, Hasina fled Bangladesh. This case follows a related November verdict where the tribunal also handed down death penalties to Hasina and then-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
Additional Prison Sentences for Other Ex-Officers
Beyond the death sentences, the ICT also imposed prison terms on several other former police personnel, all tried in absentia:
- Mohammad Imrul, former Assistant Police Commissioner of Dhaka: six years imprisonment
- Arshad Hossain, former Inspector: four years imprisonment
- Sujon Hossain, Imaj Hossain, and Nasirul Islam, former Constables: three years imprisonment each
These individuals were found guilty in connection with a specific incident during the protests where six people were killed in police firing. The tribunal's comprehensive rulings underscore the widespread accountability being sought for the atrocities committed during the 2024 crackdown.
The verdicts highlight the ongoing judicial processes in Bangladesh addressing the severe human rights violations that occurred during the political upheaval, setting a precedent for holding commanding officers responsible for actions undertaken by their forces.
