Dhaka on Edge Before Verdict on Ex-PM Hasina
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Dhaka
- Nov 14, 2025
- 515
Bangladesh has been thrust into a state of heightened turmoil as violence escalates nationwide ahead of a landmark Supreme Court verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who faces grave charges of murder and crimes against humanity linked to the 2024 student uprising.
Tensions soared on Thursday after Hasina’s Awami League announced a nationwide shutdown to protest what it describes as a politically orchestrated trial. Activists from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami launched counter-mobilizations across Dhaka, prompting sporadic clashes and widespread chaos.
According to Al-Jazeera, 32 improvised explosive devices detonated across the country on Wednesday, setting dozens of buses ablaze. Two additional blasts erupted near Dhaka’s international airport on Thursday night, though no casualties were reported.
In response, authorities shifted schools in Dhaka and other major urban centers to online classes, halted public transport entirely, and deployed 400 paramilitary personnel to reinforce security in the capital.
Hasina Rejects Accusations, Calls Trial a “Sham”
The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on November 17 in the high-profile case, which accuses Hasina of ordering security forces to open fire on unarmed students during last year’s anti-government protests—an allegation she vehemently denies.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Hasina dismissed the charges as fabricated, branding the trial a “politically motivated charade.” Prosecutors, however, have presented leaked audio allegedly from July 2024 in which Hasina discusses the use of weapons to quell the unrest.
Human rights monitors claim up to 1,400 demonstrators were killed in the crackdown—figures attributed to United Nations assessments. Hasina maintains she issued no such directive and insists she is the victim of a political vendetta.
She declared she was prepared to face an international inquiry, stating, “If the Yunus administration is truly honest, they should prosecute me at the International Criminal Court. They will not do so because an impartial tribunal would acquit me.”
Death Penalty Sought for Hasina and Former Security Chiefs
Public prosecutors have levied five major charges against Hasina—most notably murder, failure to prevent atrocities, and crimes against humanity—calling for the death penalty for her and two co-accused: former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun.
Hasina, currently in India, has refused to return to Dhaka for the proceedings, claiming she has been denied the opportunity to defend herself. Her legal team has appealed to the United Nations, alleging gross violations of due process.
Awami League Headquarters Torched Amid Unrest
Amid the escalating political volatility, protesters on Thursday set fire to the Awami League’s Dhaka headquarters for the second time since the government’s collapse last August. The blaze reportedly began after 10–15 individuals gathered flammable materials on the building’s fourth floor.
The country descended into upheaval following Hasina’s ouster on August 5, 2024, a period marked by mass arson, lethal clashes, and accusations of torture and extrajudicial killings by state forces. Hasina fled to India soon after, while Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal later issued orders requiring her to stand trial.
Referendum on July Charter to Coincide with Elections
Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus announced Thursday that the long-discussed referendum on the July Charter—a constitutional reform blueprint—will be held alongside the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The proposed charter seeks sweeping reforms in four domains:
the future electoral framework,
the role of the military and judiciary,
anti-corruption and human-rights policies, and
the continuation of restrictions on Sheikh Hasina.
Yunus stated that deliberations were in their final phase and that a 100-member upper house, apportioned proportionally by popular vote, was central to the proposal.
Despite the government’s ultimatum for political parties to settle their disagreements by early November, deep-seated divisions persist, leaving the nation on edge as the verdict date approaches.