Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has described the death sentence awarded to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as extremely worrying. Hasina was found guilty of ‘crimes against humanity’ in absentia by a special court in Dhaka on Monday.
Tharoor said – Death penalty and trial in absentia are worrying.
Shashi Tharoor said that he is not in favor of death penalty anywhere in India or abroad. He said, ‘It is disturbing to give death sentence to an absent person without giving him a chance to defend himself. It is not right to comment on the court of another country, but this decision cannot be called positive at all.
#WATCH Delhi , On ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina being convicted by a Bangladeshi Court, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “Both domestically and abroad, I don’t believe in the death penalty… Trial in absentia, when somebody doesn’t get a chance to defend… pic.twitter.com/vksxisNrMK
— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2025
Dhaka court convicted Hasina
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in absentia on charges of ‘crimes against humanity’ during last year’s student protests. Hasina has been living in India since her removal from power in August last year.
Sheikh Hasina said – this is an act of political revenge
Sheikh Hasina, 78, who lives in Delhi, described the court’s decision as ‘biased and politically motivated’. He said the decision was the result of a ‘rigged judicial process’ run by an ‘unelected government’. He said, ‘By demanding death penalty the extremist face of the interim government has been exposed. Their aim is to eliminate me from politics and weaken the Awami League.
Hasina challenges to hear the case in ICC
Hasina said that she is not afraid of facing allegations, she just wants a fair platform. She said, ‘I want the case to be taken to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, where the evidence can be properly examined.’ His Awami League party has been banned from contesting the elections to be held in February.