Bangladesh Court Imposes Death Penalty on Former Police Chief for Mass Crackdown During Ouster’s Rule

The verdict handed down by a Bangladesh court sentences Dhaka’s fugitive former police chief, Habibur Rahman, along with two senior colleagues, to death for crimes against humanity committed during the 2024 protest crackdown. The trial took place in absentia due to their unknown whereabouts. This sentence comes ahead of upcoming elections scheduled for February 12th.

Five other ex-police officers received varying terms of imprisonment. They were charged with responsibility for the killing of six protesters, who died on August 5, 2024, during a violent confrontation between Hasina’s government and demonstrators in Dhaka. The UN reported that up to 1,400 people lost their lives between July and August 2024 as part of the government’s crackdown.

The court found evidence that Rahman had instructed police units to use lethal force against protesters. Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam was satisfied with the verdict but sought harsher sentences for five individuals convicted of crimes against humanity, who were sentenced to prison terms.

A separate trial in November also resulted in death sentences for ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, both facing charges of crimes against humanity. Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, a confessed ex-police chief, received five years’ imprisonment for his role in the crackdown.

These verdicts underscore the severity of the government’s actions during the protests and highlight ongoing legal challenges related to governance after Hasina’s ouster in August 2024.