Bangladesh witnessed a series of crude bomb explosions in Dhaka on Sunday, police confirmed to Reuters, heightening tensions across the capital ahead of Monday's verdict in a case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over alleged violence during last year's street protests.
No casualties were reported, but the incidents added to the anxiety already gripping the city after days of unrest. Security was tightened overnight across Dhaka and other regions amid sporadic arson attacks and crude bomb blasts.
Also read | No real evidence against me, says Sheikh Hasina ahead of crucial verdictHasina, 78, is being tried in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity for allegedly ordering a deadly action against student demonstrators in mid-2024. She denies all allegations and has been in India since fleeing there following her ouster in August last year.
Security agencies - including military, paramilitary and police units - were placed on heightened alert after reports that Hasina's now-defunct Awami League had announced a two-day shutdown ahead of the International Crimes Tribunal–Bangladesh (ICT-BD) verdict.
On Sunday night, unidentified assailants set fire to a vehicle dumping corner inside a police station complex and detonated two crude bombs outside the residence of an advisory council member of interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus. Several intersections across Dhaka also witnessed explosions.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) issued strict orders to crack down on violent mobs, authorising personnel to shoot if necessary. ICT-BD prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for the former leader.
“I stated over the wireless that anyone who sets a bus on fire or throws crude bombs with intent to kill should be shot. This authority is clearly provided in our law,” Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali said late Sunday.
Since November 10, the capital has seen a wave of mostly predawn attacks, including crude bombs detonated at the entrance of the Grameen Bank headquarters in Mirpur, founded by Yunus. Several branches of the bank were also targeted with coordinated petrol bomb and arson attacks, officials said.
Also read | Awami League netas, away from home, guide lockdown protests in BangladeshMultiple buses were torched during the week, resulting in the death of a sleeping driver.
Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal are facing trial in absentia, while the third accused — former police chief Abdullah Al Mamun — appeared in person and has turned “approver”, apparently seeking leniency.
“We have sought the highest possible sentence for Hasina. We also requested seizure of the convicts’ property for distribution among families of martyrs and injured victims of last year’s violent street protests,” ICT-BD prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said.
He added that under ICT-BD law, Hasina cannot appeal to the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division unless she surrenders or is arrested within 30 days of the judgment.
The verdict is expected to be broadcast live on state-run BTV, with screens installed at multiple locations in Dhaka. Select parts will be aired after tribunal clearance, and live streaming will also be available on ICT-BD’s official Facebook page.
In an audio message posted on the Awami League’s Facebook page, Hasina dismissed the charges and urged supporters to remain calm. “We have seen enough of these attacks and cases, this is just a matter of time,” she said.
Interim government home affairs adviser, retired lieutenant general Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, said the verdict, “whatever it is, will be executed”.
Authorities remain on high alert nationwide to avert unrest.
Hasina and several senior Awami League leaders face accusations ranging from murder to corruption and abuse of power. Monday’s verdict relates to five counts of alleged crimes against humanity during the July Uprising of 2024, including killings, attempted killings, torture, use of lethal force against unarmed student protesters, deployment of heavy weapons and drones, and specific killings in Rangpur and Dhaka.
Hasina insists she is being targeted, accusing interim government chief Yunus of plotting her ouster. She labelled him a “usurper”, saying, “Let them try me, I don’t care… The verdict will not be able to gouge my mouth.”
Calling the charges “entirely false”, she added, “If someone makes a false complaint in court, he is tried under law, and one day it will happen.” She also cited Article 7(B) of the Constitution, saying, “If someone by force removes the elected representatives from power, they will be punished. Yunus just did it.”