The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has scheduled the hearing of the prosecution’s appeal seeking harsher punishment for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on 20 January. The appeal concerns their life sentences in connection with crimes against humanity committed during the July mass uprising. The date was fixed today by Appellate Division Chamber Justice Md. Rezaul Haque.
The original verdict was delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on 17 November last year. In the ruling, Hasina and Asaduzzaman were sentenced to death in three cases, while in three other cases they received life imprisonment. Another accused, former Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
The prosecution had brought five charges against the three defendants, encompassing multiple incidents. Broadly, these charges included: incitement through provocative statements; ordering lethal action against protesters; the shooting of Abu Saeed, a student at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur; the killing of six protesters in Chankharpul, Dhaka; and the murder and subsequent burning of six individuals in Ashulia.
Following the issuance of life sentences to Hasina and Asaduzzaman, the prosecution lodged an appeal on 15 December. Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim stated that the appeal sought to convert life sentences into the death penalty, arguing that the gravity of the offences warranted the maximum punishment. The appeal cites eight grounds for reconsideration.
The prosecution’s appeal was listed as item 58 on today’s chamber court schedule. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim were present during the hearing. Tamim later told Prothom Alo, “We applied for early hearing. The Chamber Court has now fixed the full Appellate Division bench to hear the appeal on 20 January. The tribunal had divided the five charges into two sets of sentences: life imprisonment for some and the death penalty for others. Given that all charges have been proven under the Tribunal Act, we maintain that life imprisonment is inadequate and the death penalty is warranted.”
Summary of Charges and Sentences
| Accused | Incident / Charge | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Sheikh Hasina | Incitement at 14 July 2024 press conference | Life imprisonment |
| Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal | Orders to suppress protesters violently | Life imprisonment |
| Sheikh Hasina & Asaduzzaman | Multiple killings (Abu Saeed, Chankharpul, Ashulia) | Death penalty (3 cases) |
| Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun | Involvement in uprising-related crimes | 5 years’ imprisonment |
The prosecution maintains that the life sentences issued to Hasina and Asaduzzaman do not reflect the severity of their crimes, and the appeal seeks the imposition of the death penalty in place of the life sentences. The matter will now be heard by the full Appellate Division bench on 20 January.