Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been formally accused of five counts of crimes against humanity and genocide, according to an investigation report submitted to the International Crimes Tribunal. The announcement was made on Monday, May 12, during a press briefing by Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam.
The charges relate to violent crackdowns on student and civilian movements protesting inequality during July and August 2025. Alongside Sheikh Hasina, two others have been named in the official charge sheet: former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
According to the Chief Prosecutor, two of the five charges against Sheikh Hasina have been made public:
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Incitement and Provocation:
Sheikh Hasina reportedly referred to protestors as “descendants of collaborators” (razakars) during a press conference. Investigators claim this statement incited state forces and ruling party affiliates—such as Awami League, Jubo League, and Chhatra League—to violently suppress the protests, resulting in crimes against humanity. -
Direct Orders to Use Lethal Force:
The investigation team claims to have obtained several recorded phone conversations where Sheikh Hasina allegedly gave explicit orders to state forces to use helicopters, drones, armored vehicles, and lethal weapons against unarmed civilians. These recordings form the basis of the second charge.
At 10:55 AM on Monday, officials from the investigation agency formally handed over the report to the Chief Prosecutor of the Tribunal. This marks the first official investigative report linking Sheikh Hasina to the “July Genocide.”
Previously, on February 18, the Tribunal, led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mojumder, had ordered the investigation to be completed by April 20.
