Individual criminal responsibility of the former prime minister of Bangladesh for crimes against humanity

Regrettably, the former government of Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, committed serious human rights violations between 1 July and 5 August 2024, including but not limited to hundreds of extrajudicial killings, extensive arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, indiscriminate use of force by the law enforcement agencies, and other forms of ill-treatment. The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) found ‘reasonable grounds‘ to believe that serious human rights violations were committed by the former government, its security and intelligence services, and violent members of the Awami League during that time. Hence, the former government’s activities warrant the attention of international criminal law.