Rigged tribunal, politically motivated: Hasina on death sentence
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New Delhi (PTI): Sentenced to death after a trial in absentia in Bangladesh, a defiant Sheikh Hasina on Monday charged that the judgement has been made by a "rigged tribunal" established and presided over by an "unelected government with no democratic mandate".
In a strongly-worded statement, the 78-year-old Awami League leader, who has been living in India since she was deposed as prime minister of Bangladesh on August 5 last year following massive violent protests, said the "politically motivated" verdict reveals the "brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government" against her and her party.
"I wholly deny the accusations that have been made against me in the ICT," Hasina said after she was sentenced to death on Monday by the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for "crimes against humanity" over her government's crackdown on student-led protests last year.
She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.
In its verdict that followed a months-long trial, the ICT described her as the "mastermind and principal architect" of the violent repression that killed hundreds of protesters.
In her reaction, Hasina said the judgement has been made by a "rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate".
"They are biased and politically motivated. In their distasteful call for the death penalty, they reveal the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government to remove Bangladesh's last elected prime minister, and to nullify the Awami League as a political force," she said in the statement.
Hasina said she was not afraid to face her "accusers" in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly.
"That is why I have repeatedly challenged the interim government to bring these charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague."
The verdict comes months before parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. Hasina's Awami League party has been barred from contesting the elections scheduled to be held in February.
She said millions of Bangladeshis toiling under the "chaotic, violent and socially-regressive" administration of Mohammad Yunus "will not be fooled by this attempt to short-change them of their democratic rights".
"They can see that the trials conducted by the so-called International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) were never intended to achieve justice or provide any genuine insight into the events of July and August 2025," Hasina said.
Rather, their purpose was to "scapegoat" the Awami League and to "distract the world's attention" from the failings of Yunus and his ministers, she charged.
The Yunus-led interim government in Dhaka took charge after the fall of the Hasina government.
"Under his aegis, public services have fallen apart. Police have retreated from the country's crime-ridden streets and judicial fairness has been subverted, with attacks on Awami League adherents going unpunished," she alleged.
"Hindus and other religious minorities are assaulted, and women's rights are suppressed. Islamic extremists inside the administration, including figures from Hizb-ut-Tahrir, seek to undermine Bangladesh's long tradition of secular government.
"Journalists are locked up and menaced, economic growth has stalled, and Yunus has delayed elections and then banned the country's most longstanding party (the Awami League) from participating in those elections," the former prime minister of Bangladesh charged.
In recent media interviews, Hasina has described the ICT as a "kangaroo court" run by her opponents.
The ICT, originally set up to try hardened collaborators of Pakistani forces during the 1971 Liberation War, was amended by the current administration to bring leaders of the past regime, including Hasina, under its jurisdiction.
"I mourn all of the deaths that occurred in July and August of last year, on both sides of the political divide. But neither I nor other political leaders ordered the killing of protestors. I comment further on the substance of the charges below. But first I note that I was given no fair chance to defend myself in court, nor even to have lawyers of my own choice represent me in absentia," she said.
Despite its name, there is "nothing international about the ICT; nor is it in any way impartial," Hasina said.
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Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol unveil ‘DDLJ’ sculpture at London’s Leicester Square
London (PTI): Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol huddled under an umbrella on a rainy Thursday in London to unveil their bronze likeness from an iconic ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ scene.
The sculpture of the duo joins Leicester Square’s ‘Scenes in the Square’ trail depicting memorable shots from some of the world’s most famous films, with ‘DDLJ’ marking a Bollywood first and the 30th anniversary of the 1995 box-office hit. It is in this popular London square that SRK as Raj and Kajol as Simran first cross paths unknowingly.
“DDLJ was made with a pure heart. We wanted to tell a story about love, how it can bridge barriers and how the world would be a better place if it had a lot of love in it, and I think this is why 'DDLJ' has had a lasting impact for over 30 years now," said Khan.
“Personally, 'DDLJ' is part of my identity, and it is humbling to see film, and Kajol and me, receiving so much love since it was released,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the Heart of London Business Alliance, behind the cinematic trail at Leicester Square, for celebrating ‘DDLJ’ and “immortalising” its lead stars.
“Seeing ‘DDLJ’ become the first Indian film to be honoured in the iconic Scenes in the Square trail is an emotional moment and has brought back so many memories.
"I feel immense pride knowing the film has been embraced around the world, and I want to share this moment with the entire cast and crew of ‘DDLJ’, my friend and director Aditya Chopra and the Yash Raj Films family. This is a moment I will never forget,” added Khan.
Kajol, joined by her daughter Nysa and son Yug, posed with Khan in front of the statue as she braved the rain in a green saree.
“It’s incredible to see ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ continue to receive so much love, even 30 years later. Watching the statue being unveiled in London felt like reliving a piece of our history - a story that has truly travelled across generations,” said Kajol.
“Seeing it find its rightful place in Leicester Square, a location of such enormous significance to ‘DDLJ’, makes this moment even more special. For the film to be honoured in this way in the UK – the first Indian film to receive such recognition – is something that will forever stay in the hearts and minds of all the ‘DDLJ’ fans across the world,” she said.
Their statue, captured in a dancing pose from the hit song ‘Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna’, joins the likes of Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, Mary Poppins, and Batman in what is dubbed as an ever-growing celebration of movie magic in a square packed with multiplex cinema screens.
“When ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, DDLJ, was released 30 years ago, the film became a defining moment for Indian cinema and changed the face of the industry, capturing the hearts of everyone who saw it all over the globe," said Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films.
“We’re thrilled to be the first Indian film to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square’. It also marks 30 years of DDLJ, a film that has spread love and joy globally, and shows the cultural impact it has had in UK.
“We are honoured that our superstars and our film are being recognised on the world stage alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy to Harry Potter. This statue will be a great way to express the international appeal of Indian movies and build bridges amongst communities through cinema,” he said.
Since its release in 1995, ‘DDLJ’ has become the longest-running film in Hindi cinema history.
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “We’re proud to welcome global megastars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to our Scenes in the Square trail.
"Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a cinematic phenomenon that has shaped generations, and London’s first tribute to Indian cinema honours a story whose magic continues to captivate audiences worldwide.”
It is a particularly special year for the film, with a musical based on the romance playing to packed houses at Manchester’s Opera House earlier this year. Aditya Chopra reprised his role as director of the English language stage production, ‘Come Fall In Love – The DDLJ Musical’, which revolved around the love story of Simran and Roger.
The script was a nod to the original as it followed Simran as a young British Indian woman who finds herself engaged to a family friend in India in an arranged marriage. However, the plot thickens when she falls in love with a British man named Roger.
