Bharat Newz 24*7
In a dramatic development, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has been sentenced to six months of imprisonment by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh. The verdict, delivered on Wednesday, was related to charges of contempt of court following the leak of an alleged audio recording.
The ruling was issued by a three-member division bench led by Justice Mohammad Golam Mortaza Majumdar. Alongside Sheikh Hasina, another political figure, Shakil Akand Bulbul from Gobindaganj, Gaibandha, was sentenced to two months in jail.
This marks the first legal verdict against Sheikh Hasina since she stepped down from office last year and left Bangladesh. After her resignation, Hasina reportedly moved to India, where she has since been residing at an undisclosed location in Delhi. Despite repeated requests from the Bangladesh government for her return, India has remained silent on the matter.
According to tribunal prosecutors, the sentence stems from an audio clip that was circulated online. In it, a female voice — allegedly belonging to Hasina — is heard claiming that over 250 murder cases have been filed against her, implying she had official sanction for those actions. The voice is also heard warning law enforcement officials and political opponents, asserting that none would be spared for their actions against Awami League members.
The prosecution, led by Chief Prosecutor Tazul Islam, claimed that forensic analysis had confirmed the voice to be that of the former Prime Minister. He clarified that the audio was not AI-generated and was used as key evidence during the trial.
Sheikh Hasina’s legal team, appointed by the state in her absence, argued that she was innocent and that the charges were politically motivated. However, the court rejected the defense’s arguments and issued the sentence within hours of the final hearing.
In response, Hasina and her party, the Awami League, have declared the trial to be a “mockery of justice” and have announced their decision to boycott the legal proceedings altogether.
The verdict has sparked widespread debate across Bangladesh and beyond, with political analysts warning of increased tensions in the country’s already polarized political landscape.
