Leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its affiliated organizations staged demonstrations and blocked a highway in Gopalganj on Monday in protest against the death sentence handed down to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the case over crimes against humanity committed in July–August 2024.
At around 3:30pm, they blocked the Dhaka–Khulna Highway and held a protest, chanting various slogans in support of Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League.
At the same time, leaders and activists of the banned Chhatra League held a protest march in Tungipara opposing the verdict.
Earlier, at 2:50pm, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death on two charges, and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death on one charge, in connection with the crimes committed in July–August.
In the same case, the court reduced the maximum sentence of former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun—who testified as a prosecution witness—to five years’ imprisonment.
The verdict was delivered by International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Chief Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder.
After reading the summary judgment for two hours and ten minutes, the tribunal announced the death sentences for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at 2:50pm.
In relation to the verdict, as part of the shutdown program announced by the banned Awami League, activists of the banned Chhatra League blocked the Dhaka–Khulna Highway in Kashiani upazila earlier in the morning by placing tree trunks on the road. The blockade was enforced at Tilchara Bazar area in Kashiani upazila of Gopalganj.
Upon receiving the information, police from Kashiani police station arrived at the scene, prompting the protesters to flee. The police later removed the tree trunks and normalized traffic on the Dhaka–Khulna Highway.
