11 of 15 convicts sentenced to death, including Hasina, remain fugitives

So far, six tribunal verdicts have sentenced 61 individuals for crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising. Among them, 15 individuals, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, have been sentenced to death. Out of these death-row convicts, 11 are fugitives, while 4 are in custody.

Additionally, 46 defendants have received various prison terms, including life imprisonment. Among these, 11 individuals, including former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Dhaka Range Syed Nurul Islam, have received life sentences.

The Awami League government was overthrown on 5 August 2024, during the mass uprising. Approximately two and a half months later, on 14 October 2024, an interim government reconstituted the International Crimes Tribunal. To expedite the judicial process, another tribunal was formed on 8 May of last year. Over the past 18 months, six judgments have been issued from both tribunals concerning crimes against humanity committed in July. The first verdict was delivered on 17 November of last year, and the most recent one was on 30 June.

An analysis of the six verdicts shows that 40 out of the 61 convicted individuals are fugitives, while 21 are in custody.

Chief Prosecutor of the tribunal, Md. Aminul Islam, told Prothom Alo that they are satisfied with some of the judgments while dissatisfied with others. The prosecution (the state) has appealed against those verdicts where the sentences were not satisfactory. The trial proceedings for the cases related to crimes against humanity that occurred in July are advancing rapidly. One case is awaiting a verdict, and another two to three cases are nearing completion.

In addition to the July massacre, the tribunal is also addressing crimes against humanity committed during cases of enforced disappearances, murders, and torture during the previous Awami League government. Initially, this tribunal was established in 2010 to try crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

An analysis of the six verdicts reveals that five cases resulted in death sentences for 15 defendants. Among these politicians are four individuals: ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman, former independent Member of Parliament for the Savar area Muhammad Saiful Islam, and the now-banned Jubo League leader Rony Bhuiyan from the Ashulia area. All four are fugitives. The other 11 are former police officers.

Among the 11 police officers sentenced to death, 7 are on the run, and 4 are imprisoned.

The first verdict for crimes against humanity committed during the mass uprising was delivered on 17 November 2025. In that judgment, Tribunal-1 sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death. Both individuals are fugitives.

The second verdict was delivered on 26 January of this year. Tribunal-1 sentenced former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman and two others to death for crimes against humanity related to the murder of six individuals in Chankharpul, Dhaka. The other two death-row convicts in this case are former Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty and former Additional Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Division Shah Alam Md Akhtarul Islam. All three are fugitives.

On 5 February, the third verdict was issued by Tribunal-2. Six individuals were sentenced to death in a case involving the burning of six bodies and the murder of seven individuals in Ashulia, Savar. The death-row convicts in this case include former MP Muhammad Saiful Islam, former officer-in-charge (OC) of Ashulia Police Station AFM Sayed, former Sub-Inspector (SI) Abdul Malek, former Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Bishwajit Saha, former Constable Mukul Chokdar, and Jubo League cadre Rony Bhuiyan. Abdul Malek and Mukul Chokdar are in prison, while the remaining four are fugitives.

In a case involving crimes against humanity surrounding the murder of Abu Sayed, the first martyr of the mass uprising and a student at Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, Tribunal-2 sentenced two individuals to death. Former ASI Amir Hossain and former constable Sujan Chandra Roy were both sentenced to death in the ruling announced on 9 April. Both are in custody.

The fifth verdict was delivered on 28 June. Tribunal-1 sentenced three individuals to death in a case involving crimes against humanity in the Banasree area of Rampura during the mass uprising. The death-row convicts are former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Khilgaon Region Md Rashedul Islam, and former OC of Rampura Police Station Md Mashiur Rahman. All three are fugitives.

Former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman has been sentenced to death in verdicts for two cases (Chankharpul and Rampura) to date.

In the most recent sixth verdict announced on 30 June, JSD President Hasanul Haq Inu received a 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence.

Eleven individuals have received life imprisonment sentences as a result of three case verdicts. All of these are former police officers. Among these convicted persons, eight are fugitives, and three are in custody.

In the case involving the burning of bodies in Ashulia, seven defendants received life sentences. These include former DIG of Dhaka Range Syed Nurul Islam, former Superintendent of Police (SP) of Dhaka District Md. Asaduzzaman Ripon, former Additional SP Abdullahil Kafi, former Additional SP of Savar Circle Md. Shahidul Islam, former Inspector Mohammed Masudur Rahman, former Inspector Nirmal Kumar Das, and former Detective Branch Inspector of Dhaka District Md. Arafat Hossain.

Among those who received life sentences, Abdullahil, Shahidul, and Arafat are in custody, while the remaining four are on the run.

In the Abu Sayed murder case verdict, three individuals were sentenced to life imprisonment. They are former Assistant Commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police Md Arifuzzaman, former Inspector Robiul Islam, and former SI Bibhutibhushan Ray. All three are fugitives.

Former SI Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan received a life sentence in the Rampura case. He is also a fugitive.

In addition to other defendants in the Abu Sayed murder case, 12 individuals, including former vice-chancellor, teachers, and staff of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, received different prison terms.

These individuals include former Vice-Chancellor Md Hasibur Rashid, former Proctor Shariful Islam, former Associate Professor of the Mathematics Department Md Mashiur Rahman, former Associate Professor of the Public Administration Department Asaduzzaman Mondol, former Assistant Registrar Rafiqul Hasan, former Assistant Registrar Md Hafizur Rahman, former Section Officer Md Moniruzzaman, former MLS (Office Assistant) Mohammed Nurunnabi Mondol, former Office Assistant and Computer Operator AKM Amir Hossain, former Security Guard Nur Alam Mia, and former Contractual Employee Md Anwar Parvez.

An analysis of the verdicts from the six cases reveals that former police officers received the most sentences. A total of 34 former police officers have been convicted. Among these, 11 received death sentences, and 11 were sentenced to life imprisonment. Others received various prison terms. Among the convicts, 15 are in custody, and 19 are fugitives.

Of the six cases, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and former SI of Ashulia Police Station Sheikh Abjalul Haque served as approvers or state witnesses in two separate cases.

Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun received a five-year prison sentence, while Sheikh Abjalul was acquitted by the tribunal.

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam stated that the resolution of cases is unrelated to the political or professional identity of the defendants. Convicts were sentenced based on the evidence against them.

The tribunal has delivered verdicts in two contempt of court cases. On 2 July last year, Tribunal-1 sentenced Sheikh Hasina to six months' imprisonment for contempt of court. In the same case, co-accused Shakil Akand Bulbul, alias Md Shakil Alam, a Chhatra League leader from Gobindaganj in Gaibandha, was sentenced to two months' imprisonment.

In another contempt of court case, Tribunal-1 on 12 April sentenced MH Patowary, a leader of the Jubo League (whose activities are now banned), to two months' rigorous imprisonment.

Nineteen cases are currently pending in the two international crimes tribunals. Of these, 15 cases are pending in Tribunal-1, and 4 cases in Tribunal-2.

These cases involve nearly 200 defendants. Among the accused are politicians, current and former military officers, and former police members.

The Chief Prosecutor's office has noted that the tribunal is currently on leave. After the break (in late July or August), verdicts in another three to four cases may be delivered.

Regarding the tribunal's judicial proceedings, Abul Hasan, the father of July martyr Shahriar Hasan Alvi, told Prothom Alo that death-row fugitives like Sheikh Hasina must be swiftly brought back to the country to carry out the verdicts.