Hasina Death Sentence: Was Nov 17 handpicked? Sheikh Hasina given death penalty on marriage anniversary

Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cannot forget November 17. Not because Hasina has been handed the death sentence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which ironically was set up by her, but because November 17 is her marriage anniversary. It was exactly 58 years ago on this day that she was married to MA Wazed Miah, an eminent Bangladeshi physicist.

A discussion has begun on social media with a section of the users alleging that the date was deliberately chosen to rule Hasina guilty and hand her the death sentence. The date of verdict and sentencing, after finishing the trial on October 23, was originally planned for November 14.

Later, on November 13, the ICT announced that it would deliver its verdict in the case against Hasina and her two top aides on November 17, the Daily Star reported on November 14.

“November 17 marks a significant date for Hasina, from her wedding anniversary in 1967 to her death sentence in 2025,” Bangladesh’s Centrist Nation TV shared on Facebook.

The date adds “a personal dimension to a momentous judicial decision,” posted The Headlines, a Dhaka-based outlet with 1.55 lakh followers on Facebook.

“On November 17, Sheikh Hasina faced a historic verdict in her crimes against humanity case, a day that coincided with her wedding anniversary to MA Wazed Miah in 1967, adding a personal dimension to a momentous judicial decision,” The Headlines posted on X.

Hasina, the second daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—one of Bangladesh’s founding fathers—was married to Wazed Miah on November 17, 1967.

Wazed Miah, who became the chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, wrote several books on physics and politics, including one on his father-in-law Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman.

Sheikh Hasina and Wazed Miah have a son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and a daughter, Saima Wazed Putul.

Wazed Miah passed away in May 2009, just months after Sheikh Hasina took oath as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on January 6.

WAS NOVEMBER 17 DELIBERATELY CHOSEN?

The original date chosen for the verdict to be delivered by the ICT was November 14, which was then moved to November 17.

“On the same date as her wedding anniversary, a special tribunal in Dhaka is delivering its verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for alleged crimes against humanity,” posted Dhaka Chronicles on Facebook.

Bangladesh-based Bangla daily Desh Rupantor reported on its portal about “a lot of discussion on social media about the issue [choice of November 17 for the verdict]”. It said that people were holding diverse views on the date of the verdict being her wedding anniversary, with some calling it a coincidence.

“Dr Yunus is so cunning. The verdict in the case was to be delivered a few days ago, but he moved the date to November 17 because it is Hasina’s wedding anniversary,” wrote a user on Facebook, the most-used social media platform in Bangladesh.

“Happy wedding anniversary to our former Prime Minister, the murderer Sheikh Hasina,” wrote another user.

WHO WAS SHEIKH HASINA’S HUSBAND WAZED MIAH?

Wazed Miah joined the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in April 1963, and was initially attached to the Atomic Energy Research Center (AERC) in Karachi, according to the University of Dhaka website.

His job was “unjustifiably terminated” by the Pakistani government and Wazed Miah returned to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) before the Liberation War of 1971. After Bangladesh gained independence, he resumed his work at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission.

Wazed Miah’s books include Fundamentals of Electromagnetics, Fundamentals Of Thermodynamics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibke Ghire Kichhu Ghatana O Bangladesh, and Bangladesher Rajneeti o Sarkarer Chalchitra.

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