Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has set January 20 as the date for the hearing of an appeal seeking the death penalty for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Kamal. This appeal is connected to charges of crimes against humanity.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division, Md Rezaul Haque, announced this decision. The appeal was initially filed by the state counsel on December 15, seeking the death penalty for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Kamal. Previously, on November 17, 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal had sentenced them to death on one charge and to imprisonment unto death on another charge.
Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Tajul Islam, has consistently pursued the death penalty for the former leaders. On October 13 of the previous year, the prosecution introduced several documentaries as evidence, which they claimed would significantly influence the trial.
During the third day of arguments on October 14, 2025, the prosecution presented recorded conversations involving Sheikh Hasina and other former ministers, alongside footage of the July-August movement and testimonies from various witnesses. Chief Investigation Officer Md. Alamgir was cross-examined by the state-appointed defense lawyer Md. Amir Hossain, who represented Sheikh Hasina and Kamal. The defense contested the claims of a massacre in July, arguing that law enforcement was forced to act under duress.
The case also saw former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun confessing to crimes against humanity committed during the mass uprising on July 10, 2025. The prosecution has brought five charges of crimes against humanity against the accused trio.