A democratic transition under tension, between political purge and quest for justice.
The death sentence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by the International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) plunges Bangladesh back into a period of painful introspection. A year after the student demonstrations of 2024, violently repressed and marked by more than a thousand deaths, the country is trying to reconcile justice, stability and political reconstruction. But this transition is taking place in a climate of extreme polarization, where each judicial or institutional decision fuels tensions rather than easing them.
The verdict that revives the wounds of a fractured country
The special court in Dhaka found Sheikh Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death for her role deemed central in the 2024 crackdown.
This historic decision, expected but feared, rekindles profound debates on the use of force under his government and on the legitimacy of the current transition. For his supporters, it is a late victory for the victims of repression. For its opponents, it is a dangerous precedent, likely to encourage the use of justice for political ends.
A trial in absence, between judicial emergency and legitimacy deficit
Judged in exile and in absence, Sheikh Hasina did not have the opportunity to defend herself in court. The Bangladeshi authorities believe that his refusal to appear amounts to an implicit admission of the facts.
This reading is contested by several NGOs, who point out the limits inherent to the trials in absentianotably the absence of real contradiction. The exceptional nature of the court and the extent of its prerogatives reinforce questions about the legal solidity of the verdict, despite the importance of the file and the thousands of pages of evidence presented.
Political transition, student movement and regional issues
Since the fall of the Awami League in 2024, Bangladesh has experienced a profound political restructuring: dissolution of Sheikh Hasina’s party, prosecutions against its executives and security reorganization. NGOs, however, warn of a possible political use of justice.
The student uprising, which has become a national movement, demands independent investigations and democratic reforms, confirming the emergence of a new influential generation.
At the same time, Hasina’s exile in India creates a sensitive diplomatic issue: New Delhi must preserve its relations with Dhaka while managing the presence of a condemned leader, adding a regional dimension to an already fragile transition.
Beyond the national framework, the Hasina affair raises broader questions about the management of popular protests and the limits of democratic transitions in several countries of the South.
Youth-led movements, institutional challenges, and tensions between criminal justice and political settlement extend far beyond Bangladesh.
These social and urban dynamics are found in other regions of Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean, where transitions remain fragile and political balances remain unstable.
