Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus -File Photo

DHAKA, Nov 17, 2025 (BSS) - Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today said the conviction and sentence delivered to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates affirm a fundamental principle that no one, regardless of power, is above the law.

"Today, the courts of Bangladesh have spoken with a clarity that resonates across the nation and beyond. The conviction and sentencing affirm a fundamental principle: no one, regardless of power, is above the law," he said in a statement issued by his press wing tonight. 

This verdict offers vital, if insufficient, justice to the thousands harmed in the uprising of July and August 2024, and to the families who still carry their loss, the Chief Adviser said.

"We stand at a moment of rebuilding democratic foundations wrecked by years of oppression. The crimes at issue-the ordering of lethal force against young people and children whose only weapons were their voices-violated both our laws and the basic bond between government and citizens," he added.

Prof Yunus said these acts outraged Bangladeshis' core values: dignity, resilience, and commitment to justice.

"As many as 1,400 lives were lost. They were not statistics but students, parents, and citizens with rights," he said, adding, months of testimony detailed how lethal force, even from helicopters, was used against unarmed protesters. 

"This verdict recognizes their suffering and confirms that our justice system will hold perpetrators accountable," the Chief Adviser said.

Noting that Bangladesh is now rejoining global currents of accountability, he said "The students and citizens who stood for change understood this, and many paid with their lives-giving their today for our tomorrow".

The path ahead requires not just legal accountability but rebuilding trust between institutions and citizens, Prof Yunus said, adding, understanding why people risk everything for genuine representation-and creating systems worthy of that trust-is essential. 

"Today's verdict is a step on that journey," he said.

"I have every confidence that Bangladesh will meet the challenges ahead with courage and humility," the Chief Adviser added. 

With commitment to the rule of law, human rights, and each person's potential, justice will not merely survive in Bangladesh, Prof Yunus said, adding, "It will prevail and sustain."

Earlier, today, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for the crimes against humanity committed during the July-August 2024 mass uprising.

Alongside this, the Tribunal has awarded former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun a "lenient sentence" of five years' imprisonment for making a full disclosure of the events and cooperating with investigators as state approver.