Sheikh Hasina's assets to be confiscated; affidavit reveals what she owns

For the first time, a prime minister of the country has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. The verdict not only imposed the death penalty but also ordered the confiscation of the property in Bangladesh of the ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. The money obtained from this property has been ordered to be paid as compensation to those killed and injured in the July movement, considering the gravity of their losses.

The Chief Prosecutor's Office of the International Crimes Tribunal has already written to the Home Ministry to implement the confiscation order in the verdict delivered on 17 November 2025.

But how much property does the former prime minister, now in India, hold in the country? The answer was found in the affidavit she submitted for the 12th national parliamentary election on 7 January 2024.

Sheikh Hasina, prime minister for three consecutive terms, was ousted on 5 August during the student-people's movement of July-August 2024. That same day she took refuge in India, and an interim government was formed afterwards.

During that government, the trial of Sheikh Hasina began at the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising. Alongside Sheikh Hasina, her government's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun were made accused in the case. Of them, Mamun aside, the trial of the other two accused was completed showing them as fugitives.

At the end of the trial, on 17 November 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan to death. Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun was given five years' imprisonment for turning approver.

In the verdict, the confiscation of property was ordered under section 20(A) of the International Crimes Tribunal Act. The order said the property in Bangladesh of the accused Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was confiscated in favour of the state under section 20(A) of the Act.

The government was directed to pay adequate compensation to the protesters connected to this case who were killed in the July 2024 movement, and also to pay adequate compensation to the injured protesters considering the gravity of their injuries.

Section 20(A) of the Act says that if the tribunal considers it appropriate, it may order the payment of any amount of money as compensation to the victims of the crime. If the compensation cannot be recovered from the convicted person or their existing assets, the amount will be recoverable from any property they own or acquire in the future.

In a letter given to the Home Secretary on 3 November, it was stated that on 17 November 2025, International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced fugitive accused Sheikh Hasina and fugitive accused Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for crimes against humanity, and ordered all their property to be confiscated and distributed as compensation to the families of the July martyrs and the victims. In the verdict, the tribunal directed the Home Ministry to take the necessary steps to implement the confiscation order. The letter further said that unless all the movable and immovable property of the convicted fugitive accused Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal is brought under the government's control without delay, they may at any time enjoy, sell or otherwise transfer this property and render the tribunal's confiscation verdict and order ineffective.

In view of this, the letter requested that a complete list of all the movable and immovable property of the convicted fugitive accused Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal be prepared without delay, brought under the state's control, and the necessary steps taken to distribute it as compensation to the families of the martyrs and the victims of the July 2024 mass uprising, in accordance with the tribunal's order.

The affidavit submitted for the Gopalganj-3 constituency (seat number 217) in the 2024 national election shows that on the day of filing her nomination papers, Sheikh Hasina had 28,500 taka in cash as movable assets. She had 2 crore 38 lakh 98 thousand 607 taka in banks and financial institutions, 25 lakh taka shown in savings certificates, and 55 lakh taka in fixed deposits.

Three motor vehicles and jewellery were shown at a value of 13 lakh 25 thousand taka (at acquisition value), and furniture at seven lakh 40 thousand taka.

As immovable assets, agricultural land of 15.3 bigha was shown. Non-agricultural land was shown at plot 9, road 203, sector 27 of Purbachal in Dhaka, with 6.10 decimals of land including a three-storey building.

Although section 20(A) of the International Crimes Tribunal Act provides for compensation, it does not say in detail how it is to be recovered. After the matter came to light, Chief Prosecutor Md. Aminul Islam said the law and the Rules of Procedure contain provisions for confiscating property and imposing fines.

He said there is also an arrangement to pay compensation to the victims' families, but the process of selling the confiscated property or recovering the money has not been made clear. The Public Demands Recovery Act or section 386 of the Code of Criminal Procedure contains provisions for selling confiscated property and recovering fines. If the verdict mentioned following these laws with the necessary changes, it would be easier for the government to implement the order.