Sheikh Hasina's Controversial Death Sentence: A Political Earthquake in Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's former prime minister, has been sentenced to death by a special tribunal for her role in suppressing last year's student protests. The verdict has sparked calls from Bangladesh's foreign ministry for her extradition from India, where Hasina currently resides.

In a landmark and divisive verdict, Bangladesh's erstwhile Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia for 'crimes against humanity'. The sentence, delivered by a special tribunal, stems from her government's violent retaliation to student-led protests last year.

The contentious ruling has ignited diplomatic tensions, with Bangladesh's foreign ministry urging the Indian government to extradite Hasina. Her absence in the country hasn't deterred the tribunal from labeling her the 'mastermind' behind the brutal crackdowns that resulted in numerous deaths.

Hasina, residing in India, denounces the tribunal as politically driven and void of democratic legitimacy. The verdict arrives just as Bangladesh braces for upcoming parliamentary elections, with Hasina's Awami League barred from participating.

(With inputs from agencies.)