DHAKA: A verdict in ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s closely watched crimes against humanity trial is expected later this month, Bangladeshi prosecutors stated on Tuesday.

The initial confusion regarding the timing of the verdict arose after the trial concluded last month when a hearing was scheduled for November 13.

However, the recent hearing on Thursday was merely 'to announce the date of the verdict,' as per Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim, prosecutor at Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal.

The court may take an additional week to deliver the decision, according to Tamim.

He emphasized that the date for announcing the verdict has been set for November 13.

Bangladesh has experienced political turmoil since a violent uprising resulted in the ousting of Hasina's government in August 2024.

This upheaval has led to heightened tensions as various factions vie ahead of anticipated elections scheduled for February 2026.

Hasina, now 78 years old, has defied court orders to return from India to face trial on charges of ordering a crackdown during the failed attempt to quell the student-led uprising.

The trial, which commenced in absentia on June 1, included several months of testimony alleging her involvement in mass killings that claimed up to 1,400 lives, as reported by the United Nations.

The prosecution has leveled five charges against Hasina, including failure to prevent murder, which amount to crimes against humanity under Bangladeshi law.

They have sought the death penalty should she be found guilty.

Hasina maintains her innocence and deems the trial a 'jurisprudential joke.' Her co-accused include former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who is also a fugitive, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, in custody and having pleaded guilty.

In response to these developments, Hasina’s outlawed Awami League party called for a nationwide 'lockdown' on Thursday, prompting security agencies across Bangladesh to increase their alert status.