Bangladesh is set to make history by live telecasting the trial of former PM Sheikh Hasina, which will begin on Sunday. This will be the first time a country will telecast court proceedings against ex-PM. Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has ruled to broadcast all hearings regarding enforced disappearance charges against former PM Sheikh Hasina and senior Awami League leaders.
The interim administration, headed by Muhammad Yunus, is conducting a nationwide crackdown after deposing Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 following widespread student demonstrations that ended her 15-year rule.
ICT Targets Former PM and Top Officials
The ICT has also issued several warrants for the arrest of Sheikh Hasina and some of her top allies. They include former army generals and one former police chief. The chief prosecutor, Tajul Islam, confirmed the charges are over forced disappearances that the tribunal will discuss formally on June 1.
He asserted that the ICT is set to advance the judicial process. “We are proceeding with pace,” he informed journalists. Prosecutor Islam also implicated Hasina as the “nucleus of enforced disappearances” and implicated her in the secret prison center called “Ayna Ghar.”
Court to Air Proceedings Live on National TV
For the first time, the court will telecast the proceedings live on Bangladesh Television (BTV). ICT prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim confirmed the news. He said the telecast will start at 9:30 am (local time) on Sunday, subject to approval from the tribunal.
The live broadcast aims to provide transparency and inform the public while the tribunal hears one of the nation’s most politically charged cases. Tamim stressed that legal procedures will govern the whole process.
Hasina’s Legal and Political Troubles Mount
Sheikh Hasina is already under a ban on her political party, the Awami League. Most of its top leaders are still in prison. Last month, the tribunal had also issued a show-cause notice to Hasina and her aide for contempt of court. It blamed her for interfering with the legal process and intimidating the tribunal.
The caretaker government is still clamping down. It is actively hunting all those associated with the so-called disappearances. Although the investigation is ongoing, the ICT has already indicated the organization of the crimes and those said to be responsible.
A Defining Moment for Bangladesh
This trial is a watershed moment for Bangladesh’s judiciary and its political life. The live transmission is a sign of a historic turn toward openness, even as the country struggles with severe political polarization.
As the courts play out the legal process, the world will observe how Bangladesh navigates the trial of its longest-serving ruler.