Trial Begins Against Sheikh Hasina and 286 Awami League Leaders

Following a year-long political upheaval that led to her resignation on August 5 last year, former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, who has since taken refuge in India, continues to communicate with party leaders and activists at home and abroad via online platforms, issuing various directives and appearing live in virtual meetings.

Although no formal action was initially taken regarding these activities, a sedition case was filed against her in connection with a Zoom meeting held through an online platform named “Joy Bangla Brigade” in late 2024. Intelligence sources revealed that Awami League leaders and activists from different tiers, both domestic and overseas, joined the virtual meeting on December 19, 2024.

Forensic and intelligence analysis by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) found that participants in the meeting discussed “toppling the interim legitimate government, inciting civil unrest, and reinstating the fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to power.”

Based on the findings forwarded by the Police Headquarters to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the ministry officially authorized the CID on March 4, 2025, to file and investigate a sedition case. Consequently, the case (CR No. 222/2025) was registered at Ramna Police Station on March 27 under Sections 121, 121A, and 124A of the Penal Code of 1860.

After completing the investigation within five months, the CID submitted its charge sheet, and the trial against Sheikh Hasina and 286 accused has officially commenced. The court has instructed that proceedings be conducted in the absence of the defendants.

In alignment with the interim government’s declared three key agendas—Reform, Election, and Justice—the CID has made significant progress in investigating the sedition charges. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court No. 18 in Dhaka heard the case on Tuesday, where the majority of defendants were absent. The court directed that a public notice be issued in national newspapers, summoning the absentees to appear before the court and allowing the trial to proceed in their absence if they fail to comply.

Forensic reports confirmed the involvement of fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, U.S. Awami League Vice President Dr. Rabbi Alam, and several other influential central and regional leaders of the party.

Through ongoing intelligence surveillance, the authorities identified and arrested 91 individuals currently detained in various district prisons across the country, while the remaining 195 accused are reportedly still absconding.

The prosecution petitioned the court to issue “public summons and notifications” against the absentees, which the court approved. The court further noted that if the accused fail to appear within the stipulated time, the trial would proceed in absentia under Section 512 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Analysts view the commencement of this sedition trial against Sheikh Hasina and 286 others as a turning point in Bangladesh’s political and judicial history. They assert that the case represents both a tangible step in realizing the interim government’s “Justice and Accountability” agenda and a strong message that those involved in anti-state conspiracies will be held to account.