Muhammad Yunus (File photo)
Muhammad Yunus, who heads the Bangladesh interim government, said the sentencing of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina offered an “important, though limited, justice” for the thousands affected during the July–August 2024 uprising.”Today, the courts of Bangladesh have spoken with a clarity that resonates across the nation and beyond. The conviction and sentencing affirm a fundamental principle: no one, regardless of power, is above the law,” he said in a statement issued by his press wing, according to the Daily Star.Yunus said the country was now at a moment of rebuilding institutions damaged over the years of repression. “We stand at a moment of rebuilding democratic foundations wrecked by years of oppression. The crimes at issue — the ordering of lethal force against young people and children whose only weapons were their voices — violated both our laws and the basic bond between government and citizens. These acts outraged Bangladeshis’ core values: dignity, resilience, and commitment to justice,” he said.”I have every confidence that Bangladesh will meet the challenges ahead with courage and humility. With commitment to the rule of law, human rights, and each person’s potential, justice will not merely survive in Bangladesh. It will prevail and sustain,” the statement concluded.Sheikh Hasina on Monday slammed the International Crimes Tribunal’s decision to sentence her to death on charges of “crimes against humanity”.In a statement, Hasina claimed that the ruling, linked to the student-led protests of August 2024, was “biased and politically motivated.””The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate,” Hasina said. “They are biased and politically motivated. Its guilty verdict against me was a foregone conclusion.”She acknowledged the government had lost control of the situation at the time but maintained that the unrest did not amount to a “premeditated” assault on civilians.”We lost control of the situation but cannot characterise what happened as premeditated assault on citizens,” Hasina said.Criticising the verdicts, Hasina described the process as “rigged” and alleged that the drive for a death sentence was a calculated effort by hardline officials to sideline her and undermine her party, Awami League.”In their distasteful call for the death penalty, they reveal the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government to remove Bangladesh’s last elected prime minister, and to nullify the Awami League as a political force,” Hasina added.She defended her record in office, citing Bangladesh’s accession to the International Criminal Court, the sheltering of Rohingya refugees, major gains in electricity access and education, and significant economic growth that lifted millions out of poverty.Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s interim government has described the death sentence handed down to Sheikh Hasina as a “historic verdict.” It also urged the public to remain calm, exercise restraint, and act responsibly in the wake of the decision.