A Bangladesh court sentenced a senior leader of the former ruling party to death in absentia on Thursday for his role in the killings of six people during the 2024 uprising, while three other party leaders were sentenced to life imprisonment. The four men, members of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, were convicted of the murders of six people in western Kushtia district during the unrest, which led to the former premier's ouster.

The leader sentenced to death by the three-member tribunal was Md Mahbubul Alam Hanif, the party's joint general secretary, who also served as a minister during Hasina's iron-fisted rule. "The charges against the convicts were undoubtedly proved," chief prosecutor Md Aminul Islam told reporters following the verdict.

The tribunal also ordered the confiscation of half of their immovable properties to be distributed as compensation to the families of people killed or injured during the uprising, Islam said. State-appointed defence lawyer Md Amir Hossain called the verdict "unacceptable" and announced plans to challenge it in a higher court on behalf of the convicted individuals.

As many as 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024, according to United Nations estimates, when Hasina's government attempted to suppress the massive student-led uprising. Hasina's 15-year rule came to an abrupt end in August 2024, when she fled by helicopter to neighbouring India, where she currently remains in hiding amidst ongoing legal proceedings.

She was previously sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025 by domestic tribunals investigating abuses committed during the final weeks of her administration. Thursday's sentencing brings the total number of people convicted of crimes related to the 2024 uprising to 72, as the judiciary continues processing hundreds of pending cases.