Bangladesh sentences Hasina-era minister to death

DHAKA — A Bangladesh court handed down a death sentence in absentia on Thursday to a senior member of the former ruling party, Md Mahbubul Alam Hanif, for his involvement in the killings of six individuals during the 2024 uprising. Three other party leaders received life imprisonment sentences. The four men, all members of the ousted leader Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, were found guilty of murdering six people in the western Kushtia district during the unrest, which contributed to Hasina's ouster.

The lead prosecutor, Md Aminul Islam, confirmed that the charges against the convicts were proven. The tribunal also ordered the confiscation of half of the convicts' immovable properties, which will be distributed to the families of the victims. Hanif, who previously served as a minister during Hasina's regime, is the joint general secretary of the Awami League.

The defense lawyer, Md Amir Hossain, described the verdict as "unacceptable." The uprising resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,400 people between July and August 2024.