A prominent Bangladeshi-American writer and Republican community leader has sent two strongly worded open letters to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, urging immediate international intervention to halt what he describes as “unlawful” and “politically motivated” judicial proceedings against Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Dr. Md Mohsin Ali, a poet, novelist, and president of the Asian American Republican Club in New York, submitted the appeals on November 16 and November 24. In them, he calls on the UN to declare a mistrial in the recent death sentence handed down to Hasina in absentia and to use the Secretary-General’s “good offices” to stop what he labels a “kangaroo court” operating under the country’s interim government led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
The letters come amid escalating controversy surrounding the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) in Dhaka, which last month sentenced the 78-year-old former leader to death for alleged crimes against humanity during last year’s student-led protests that forced her to flee to India in August 2024.
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Dr. Ali, author of 35 English-language books and a vocal advocate for democratic norms in South Asia, is hopeful that quiet diplomacy can still “encourage dialogue over division and justice over vengeance” in his homeland.
Key allegations raised by Dr. Ali include:
– The tribunal’s chairman, Justice Golam Mortuza, reportedly did not attend court sessions for over a month and allegedly drafted judgments from home, violating procedural law.
– Hasina and other Awami League leaders have been denied legal counsel, the right to examine witnesses, and adequate time to prepare a defense.
– Amendments made by ordinance to the 1973 International Crimes (Tribunals) Act—without parliamentary approval—are being used to bar charged individuals from future elections.
– Widespread intimidation of judges and lawyers, including forced resignations and fabricated cases against hundreds of attorneys.
Dr. Ali argues that these actions breach Bangladesh’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct.
While emphasising respect for Bangladesh’s sovereignty, the activist requests the UN to:
– Publicly call for an immediate stay of all ICT-BD proceedings against Hasina and other political figures until full due-process guarantees are restored.
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– Urge the repeal of recent ICT-BD ordinances and the restoration of judicial independence.
– Deploy a UN human rights monitoring mission and invite relevant Special Rapporteurs to investigate.
In his second, more measured letter dated November 24, Dr. Ali shifts tone slightly, stating the appeal “does not attempt to challenge the verdict itself” but focuses on ensuring transparent legal review and the right of the Awami League—the party synonymous with Bangladesh’s 1971 independence—to participate in future elections.
International reaction to the Hasina verdict has been mixed. Western governments and human rights organisations have expressed concern over fair-trial standards, while some regional observers view the cases as necessary accountability for alleged state violence during the 2024 uprising.
As of press time, the Office of the UN Secretary-General has not publicly responded to Dr. Ali’s letters. Bangladesh’s interim government has consistently defended the ICT proceedings as independent and lawful.
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