United News of Bangladesh

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a case filed over crimes against humanity committed during last year’s July-August mass uprising. The three-member tribunal, headed by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder began delivering the verdict around 12:30pm unveiling a 453-page judgment. The tribunal found all three accused guilty of the charges brought against them. Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death on two counts of crimes against humanity. Asaduzzaman Khan was awarded the death penalty on one charge. Both of them tried in absentia. Hasina gets death penalty, jail unto death for crimes against humanity   Besides, former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who testified as a state witness in the case, was sentenced to five years in prison.The tribunal also ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate the property of Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan.The court also asked the authorities concerned to take steps to provide adequate compensation from this property to the martyrs and injured victims of July-August movement in proportion to the extent of their losses.About the sentence handed down against Sheikh Hasina under the first charge, the tribunal said the former prime minister was responsible for instigating the crimes, ordering attacks on protesters and failing to act to prevent the offences or take punitive measures against those involved.She was found guilty of two offences under charge one and sentenced to imprisonment unto death.The tribunal said Sheikh Hasina was held responsible for two crimes under 2nd charge.One of the two offences is ordering use of helicopters and lethal weapons to suppress the July mass movement.By issuing this order, she committed offences under Sections 3(1)(ka), 3(2)(chha)(ja) and 4(1)(2)(3) of the International Crimes Tribunal Act, 1973, it said.The second offence concerns the killing of six people in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area on August 5 last year and the killing and burning of six others in Ashulia the same day as per her instructions.The tribunal said the court’s decision was that the only punishment for these crimes is the death penalty.The tribunal said two other convicts- Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun -- are equally responsible for the offences.Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was sentenced to death for the offences, it said.Although Abdullah Al Mamun also deserves the maximum punishment, as he became a state witness and gave full and truthful testimony regarding the offences, the court showed leniency and sentenced him to five years in prison.He assisted the judicial process in reaching an accurate decision, said the tribunal.The tribunal also ordered that a copy of the verdict be sent to the Dhaka District Magistrate.As Sheikh Hasina and former minister Asaduzzaman Khan fled the country amid the massive movement on August 5 last year only former IGP Mamun was present at the dock during the delivery of the judgment. Bangladesh Television (BTV) telecast the verdict live and it was also shown via giant screen at 10 spots of the capital.Initially, Sheikh Hasina was the sole accused in the case.On March 16 this year, the prosecution appealed to include former IGP Mamun as an accused alongside Sheikh Hasina and the tribunal approved it.After the Awami League government was toppled on August 5, 2024, the ICT was reconstituted.The tribunal conducted its first hearing on October 17 last year, issuing an arrest warrant against Hasina that day.After extending the deadline several times, the tribunal’s investigation agency submitted its final probe report to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office on May 12 this year.On June 1, the prosecution formally filed charges against Sheikh Hasina and the two accused.The 5 charges are:• Inciting violence in a press conference at Ganabhaban on 14 July 2024;• Ordering the elimination of protestors using helicopters, drones, and lethal weapons;• Student Abu Sayed’s killing in shooting at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur;• The killing of six protestors at Chankharpul, Dhaka;• The burning of six people in Ashulia.The tribunal formally framed these charges on July 10.The day the charges were framed, Mamun confessed to the court his involvement in crimes against humanity during the uprising and became a state witness.Arguments in the case began on October 12 and concluded on October 23.Relatives of victims, including the father of martyr Abu Sayed, testified in the case, along with key witnesses including Nahid Islam, Convener of National Citizen Party (NCP) and Amar Desh editor Dr Mahmudur Rahman.In total, 54 witnesses testified during the trial. Ex-IGP Mamun gets 5-year jail term for crimes against humanity  

A Manikganj court on Sunday sentenced a man to death for violating his daughter in 2012. Manikganj Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge MA Hamid handed down the punishment. The court also fined the convict Anwar Hossain Anu, son of Abdur Rahman Hawladar of Jashore district, Tk one lakh. According to the prosecution, Anwar along with his wife, two sons and one daughter used to live at a rented house at East Dashra in Manikganj district town. Manikganj highway crash leaves one dead On September 1, 2019, Anwar violated his nine-year-old girl when she was asleep. A case was filed with Sadar Police Station under Woman and Child Repression Prevention Act. Police arrested Anwar Hossain a few days later. Rakibuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station and also the investigating officer of the case, submitted chargesheet against him on February 9, 2020.

A Dhaka court on Thursday sentenced three people to death and five others to life term imprisonment for triple murder in Munshiganj in 2021. Judge of the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 Masud Karim handed down the punishment. The condemned convicts are—Rakibul Hasan Sourav alias Sourav Prodhan, Roni Bepari and Shihab Prodhan. 4 sentenced to death for 2021 murder of hawker in N’ganj The court fined them Tk one lakh each, in default, to suffer one year more rigorous imprisonment. The lifers were Shakib Prodhan, Shamim Prodhan, Anik Bepari, Raihan and Choto Jahangir. According to the prosecution, village arbitration was arranged in front of the house of Awlad Hossain Mintu at Uttar Islampur village over eve-teasing on March 24, 2021 where Awlad, Emon and Shakib were present. At one stage, a scuffle took place between the youths with another group of youths. Emon, Shakib and Awlad were stabbed and critically injured. Later, they were taken to Munshiganj General Hospital where the doctors declared Emon dead. Shakib died on way to Dhaka for better treatment while Awlad succumbed to his injuries on March 25, 2021. A case was filed against 12 people in this connection, Police submitted chargesheet against eight people.    

Students, mostly female ones, rocked their campuses with their overnight protests at different public universities, including Dhaka University, demanding immediate justice for recent incidents of rape and sexual harassment across Bangladesh. At Dhaka University, students from Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall gathered at the base of Raju Smrity Bhasjkarjya (Raju Memorial Sculpture) at midnight and started protests chanting various slogans. Students from other dormitories joined the protests and announced the Raju Smrity Bhasjkarjya as the ‘Anti-Rape Platform’ (Dharshan Birodhi Monch) to amplify their voices against rape and violence against women. They demanded the formation of a tribunal to ensure that justice is served without delay. The protests follow the recent harassment of a Dhaka University student allegedly by a Central Library staff member. College student raped in Ctg The protests intensified as the news of a child rape case in Magura triggered nationwide outcry, with the hospital authorities describing the child's condition as "critical." Besides, female students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet staged demonstrations demanding the death penalty for the rapist. Breaking open the gates of dormitories, the students came out of the halls and staged demonstrations for two hours starting at 1am. The students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) also staged demonstrations on the same demand around 3am. The Jahangirnagar University (JU) students blocked Dhaka-Aricha Highway, demanding toughest punishment of the rapist. Magura rape victim shifted to Dhaka CMH for better treatment They carried out the protest programmes around 2am.    The wave of protests also touched the students of Jagannath University as they took to the streets demanding death penalty of the accused.

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has called upon Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus to abolish the death penalty in all its forms. The statement from the France-based rights group came on the occasion of World Day Against the Death Penalty 2024 being observed on Thursday. The statement asserts that the death penalty is an irreversible and inhumane punishment that has no place in a just and civilized society. This stance aligns with national and international legal frameworks that prioritise human dignity, the right to life, and fairness. Article 32 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, yet the death penalty contradicts this fundamental right, it noted. “While justice and accountability are essential, capital punishment is neither a deterrent to crime nor a path to true justice,” JMBF emphasised. “It disproportionately affects the marginalized, the underprivileged, and those who lack access to proper legal representation.” According to JMBF, over 2,000 individuals are currently on death row in Bangladesh. The organisation calls for an urgent reconsideration of the practice as part of the global movement toward abolition. From 2013 to 2023, Bangladesh carried out at least 30 executions, mostly in cases involving murder, terrorism, and war crimes related to the 1971 Liberation War. Read: France-based group speaks out on state of lesbian rights in Bangladesh JMBF expressed concern about the fairness of trials, with reports of coerced confessions, inadequate legal defense, and the use of torture, which undermine the credibility of the justice system and increase the risk of wrongful executions. JMBF pointed to flaws in Bangladesh’s justice system, such as overcrowded courts, prolonged detention without trial, and the lack of legal aid. In some cases, death sentences were handed down without proper representation or fair trials, violating fundamental rights. JMBF highlighted global studies showing that the death penalty does not deter crime, citing over 85 nations that have abolished it since 1976. Robert Simon, a French human rights activist and Chief Adviser of JMBF, stated, “The death penalty is an irreversible punishment that reflects not justice, but the shortcomings of our legal system.” Advocate Shahanur Islam, founder president of JMBF, emphasised, “Our fight is not just for those on death row but for the integrity of our justice system and the future of human rights in Bangladesh. Abolishing the death penalty sends a clear message that justice should protect human dignity, not take human life.” Read more: France-based rights group voices concern over mob violence in Bangladesh

The Japanese government carried out no executions in 2023 for the first time in three years, local media reported. Currently, there are 106 inmates on death row in Japan, after three died from illness and other causes, and three others had their death sentences finalized this year, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun said, citing the Justice Ministry. Read: The year in review: Influential people who died in 2023 The law on inmate treatment stipulates that no executions will take place from Dec. 29 to Jan. 3, making any such act within the year impossible. The last execution was on July 26, 2022, when Tomohiro Kato was hanged, who was convicted of murdering seven people by driving into them or stabbing them in a random attack in Tokyo's Akihabara district in 2008. Read: Bangladesh's mobile users reach 190.36 mln 

A man was arrested today (July 20, 2023), a day after a video of two women being paraded naked in India’s Manipur state drew nationwide outrage and calls for action. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced the arrest this morning through Twitter, saying that his government will take strong action against all criminals, including the possibility of death penalty, reports NDTV. Also read: Modi breaks silence over Manipur 'ethnic violence' after viral video shows mob molesting women Heradas (32) was arrested from Thoubal district with the help of a viral video in which he was seen wearing a green T-shirt, according to police. The footage of the deplorable incident, which is said to have occurred in May in Kangpokpi district, resulted in widespread criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Supreme Court, NDTV said. “What has happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven. The incident is shameful for the country, the guilty will not be spared,” Modi said in parliament. Also read: 54 people killed in street clashes in India’s Manipur The Indian Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, has directed the government to take measures and to keep the court informed of the efforts being taken to guarantee the safety of women in the region, the report also said. “We are very deeply disturbed about the videos distributed yesterday. We are expressing our deep concern. It is time that the government steps and takes action. This is unacceptable,” he said.According to insiders, the government is expected to take action against Twitter over video distribution since it “could lead to problems in law and order,” added the report. The incident occurred on May 4, a day after conflict erupted in Manipur between the valley-majority Meitei and the hill-majority Kuki tribes over the Meiteis’ call for Scheduled Tribes (ST) recognition. Over 120 people have died as a result of the ethnic conflict, and hundreds have been internally displaced and are currently living in camps. Also read: Manipur situation will take time to settle down: Indian Chief of Defence Staff Meanwhile, the opposition has asked that PM Modi make a speech in parliament on the situation in Manipur. Ten opposition MPs have already introduced an adjournment motion in relation to Manipur, the report concluded.

A white gunman who killed 23 people in a racist attack on Hispanic shoppers at a Walmart in a Texas border city was sentenced Friday to 90 consecutive life sentences but could still face more punishment, including the death penalty. Patrick Crusius, 24, pleaded guilty earlier this year to nearly 50 federal hate crime charges in the 2019 mass shooting in El Paso, making it one of the U.S. government’s largest hate crime cases. Crusius, wearing a jumpsuit and shackles, did not speak during the hearing and showed no reaction as the sentence was read. U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama recommended that Crusius serve his sentence at a maximum security prison in Colorado and receive treatment and counseling for a severe mental health condition. Crusius still faces a separate trial in a Texas court that could end with him getting the death penalty for carrying out one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. 8 dead as SUV hits crowd at Texas bus stop near border As Crusius was led from the courtroom, the son of one of the victims shouted from the gallery. “We’ll be seeing you again, coward,” yelled Dean Reckard, whose mother, Margie Reckard, was slain in the attack. “No apologies, no nothing.” Police say Crusius drove more than 700 miles from his home near Dallas to target Hispanics with an AK-style rifle inside and outside the store. Moments before the attack began, Crusius posted a racist screed online that warned of a Hispanic “invasion” of Texas. Police: 8 killed in Texas mall shooting, gunman also dead In the years since the shooting, Republicans have described migrants crossing the southern U.S. border as an “invasion,” waving off critics who say the rhetoric fuels anti-immigrant views and violence. Crusius pleaded guilty in February after federal prosecutors took the death penalty off the table. But Texas prosecutors have said they will try to put Crusius on death row when he stands trial in state court. That trial date has not yet been set. In the U.S. government's case, Crusius received a life sentence for each of the 90 charges against him, half of which were classified as hate crimes. Attorney General Merrick Garland said after the sentencing that “no one in this country should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence.” Joe Spencer, Crusius’ attorney, told the judge before the sentencing that his client has a “broken brain.” He said Crusius had arrived in El Paso without a specific target in mind before winding up at the Walmart. “Patrick’s thinking is at odds with reality … resulting in delusional thinking,” Spencer said. Crusius became alarmed by his own violent thoughts, Spencer said, and he once left a job at a movie theater because of them. He said Crusius also searched online to look for ways to address his mental health, and he dropped out of a community college near Dallas because of his struggles. Suspected gunman caught after 5 dead in Texas mass shooting The sentencing in El Paso followed two days of impact statements from relatives of the victims, including citizens of Mexico and a German national. In addition to the dead, more than two dozen people were injured and numerous others were severely traumatized as they hid or fled. One by one, family members used their first opportunity since the shooting to directly address Crusius, describing how their lives have been upended by grief and pain. Some forgave him. One man displayed photographs of his slain father and insisted that the gunman look at them. Crusius’ family did not appear in the courtroom during the sentencing phase. The attack was the deadliest of a dozen mass shootings in the U.S. linked to hate crimes since 2006, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University. Before the shooting, Crusius had appeared consumed by the nation’s immigration debate, tweeting #BuildtheWall and posts that praised then-President Donald Trump’s hard-line border policies. He went further in his rant posted before the attack, sounding warnings that Hispanics were going to take over the government and economy. Ian Hanna, an assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted the government’s case, said Crusius had embraced the “insidious lie” that America only belonged to white people. “He wanted to eliminate a class of people,” Hanna said. Tito Anchondo, whose brother Andre Anchondo was killed in the attack, called the sentence “the best it’s going to get” because it ensures that Crusius will be left to think about his actions in prison for the rest of his life. “In a sense justice was served today, and in another sense I don’t think anything is ever going to be the same,” he said. The people who were killed ranged in age from a 15-year-old high school athlete to several grandparents. They included immigrants, a retired city bus driver, teachers, tradesmen including a former iron worker, and several Mexican nationals who had crossed the U.S. border on routine shopping trips. Two teenage girls recounted their narrow escape from Crusius’ rampage as they participated in a fundraiser for their youth soccer team outside the store, and said they are still fearful in public. Margaret Juarez, whose 90-year-old father was slain and whose mother was wounded but survived, said she found it ironic that Crusius would spend his life in prison among inmates from racial and ethnic minorities. Others in the courtroom applauded Thursday as she celebrated their liberty. “Swim in the waters of prison,” she told Crusius. “Now we’re going to enjoy the sunshine. … We still have our freedom, in our country.”

A Cumilla court on Wednesday sentenced two people to death over the murder of a man in Homna upazila in 2010. Comilla Additional District and Sessions Judge Rozina Khan delivered the judgment after hearing. Also Read: Chandpur man gets death penalty for killing wife for dowry The death row convicts- Md Majnu Mia and Kabir Mia- were tried in absentia. The two convicts were also fined TK 20,000 each. Also Read:Six gets death penalty for killing college teacher in Cumilla According to case details, on July 28, 2010, Abdul Karim, 35, of Bagmara Paschimpara village, was killed and police recovered his body on August 2 from the Titas river. Karim's brother filed a case with Homna Police Station in Comilla against 6 people. Also Read: 23 get death penalty for Rajib murder in Madaripur  

Iran hanged a man who was allegedly behind an attack that killed dozens of people at a military parade in the southern province of Khuzestan in 2018, state media reported on Saturday. The execution was carried out in Tehran after a top court upheld a death sentence for Farajollah Cha’ab in March, Iran's state TV reported. He was “the main person in the terrorist attack” at the parade in September 2018, authorities said, and was arrested by Iranian agents in 2020 after he left Sweden for Turkey. He is alleged to be the leader of a separatist group. Cha’ab, who holds Iranian and Swedish citizenship, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in Turkey in November 2020. In September 2018, militants disguised as soldiers opened fire on an annual military parade in Ahvaz, the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan. At least 25 people were killed and 70 wounded, including a 4-year-old boy. Iran then claimed that Saudi Arabia and Israeli intelligence services supported what it says was an attack by the separatist group.