Former Hasina Ally Hasanul Haque Inu Jailed for 10 Years Over 2024 Protest Crackdown

A Bangladesh tribunal on Tuesday sentenced Hasanul Haque Inu , a former minister in ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina's coalition government, to 10 years' imprisonment after finding him guilty of crimes against humanity linked to the 2024 anti-government protests.

The International Crimes Tribunal-Bangladesh (ICT-BD) convicted Inu on eight charges , including allegedly ordering police to kill six people in Kushtia, inciting the use of deadly force against protesters, and participating in decisions related to military deployment, curfews, and "shoot on sight" directives. Prosecutors also alleged he maintained telephonic contact with Hasina after the unrest began.

Following the verdict, Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam said the prosecution was dissatisfied with the sentence and would appeal, arguing that Inu deserved the death penalty. Inu's lawyer, Sifat Mahmud , rejected the ruling, calling the case politically motivated and claiming investigators failed to establish evidence linking his client to the alleged killings.

The ruling comes two days after the tribunal sentenced three former police officers, including Dhaka's ex-police chief in absentia, to death over their roles in the 2024 crackdown.

The student-led protests, known as the "July Uprising," resulted in widespread violence and ultimately led to the fall of Hasina's government on August 5, 2024 . A UN human rights report estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed during the unrest, while the interim government later placed the death toll at 864 .

Originally established in 2010 to prosecute crimes committed during Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War, the ICT-BD was later empowered under the interim government to try former Awami League leaders and officials over alleged crimes against humanity committed during the 2024 protests.