Jan 27, Kathmandu - The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh on Monday sentenced three senior Dhaka police officers to death for crimes against humanity during the July 2024 protests.

The then Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman, Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty and Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Mohammad were sentenced. Five other police officers have been jailed for the same case.

The three accused were not present in court when the verdict was pronounced. Their whereabouts are unknown, according to Bangladeshi media.

About 1,400 people were killed during the student protests in Bangladesh in July-August 2024. Police and security forces used excessive force to suppress the student protests against the quota system.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country to India on August 5. An interim government was then formed under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

The new interim government has activated the International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) to investigate past human rights abuses. The special court has been looking into cases of repression during the July protests.

The vote comes ahead of Bangladesh's February 12 election, the first since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.