In Bangladesh, the International Crimes Tribunal will announce its verdict today in the high-profile crimes against humanity case involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and two of her close aides.
The three-judge panel, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, confirmed the verdict date as security was stepped up across Dhaka. Additional forces from the Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion and the army have been deployed around the tribunal premises.
The charges against Hasina originate from the student-led uprising of July-August last year, during which, prosecutors allege, the then Awami League government carried out a violent suppression of protesters. Along with Hasina, the tribunal is trying former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who has since turned state witness.
Hasina and Kamal are being tried in absentia after fleeing the country in the wake of the unrest. Al-Mamun, who remains in custody, has reportedly given detailed testimony describing how alledged directives from top officials were executed.
Security agencies have intensified patrols not only in Dhaka but also in Gopalganj, Madaripur, and Faridpur, anticipating political gatherings or unrest following the verdict.
Analysts say the upcoming verdict could have significant political repercussions, arriving just months ahead of the scheduled national elections.
