Ousted Bangladesh leader’s defence lawyer removed over social media post demanding her execution

State-appointed lawyer is sacked after Sheikh Hasina’s son accuses interim government of legal malpractice

Bangladesh’s international crimes tribunal has removed a state-appointed lawyer for ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina for allegedly demanding her execution.

Ms Hasina has been charged with crimes against humanity for her alleged role in the killings of protesters during last year’s anti-government protests. She is also facing a contempt of court trial before the tribunal.

The tribunal sacked Dhaka-based lawyer Aminul Gani Titu as state defence counsel for Ms Hasina shortly after appointing him to defend the fugitive prime minister.

The tribunal said Mr Titu had been removed to "avoid conflict of interest” and to "ensure justice", New Age reported.

He was replaced with Amir Hossain to represent Ms Hasina and her federal home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.

The decision came after Ms Hasina's son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, pointed out that Mr Titu in a Facebook post last year had demanded a death sentence for the former leader.

The interim administration headed by Muhammad Yunus "has appointed a lawyer on my mother's behalf" who "himself has demanded the death penalty for my mother on social media", Mr Wazed Joy said on Facebook last week.

"This is not a trial. It is a cold-blooded preparation for a farce called a trial where the judicial system is being used as a weapon. I condemn this ridiculous farce of judicial activities.”

During Wednesday’s proceedings in the contempt case, the tribunal asked Mr Titu whether he had sought the former leader’s execution.

The lawyer admitted to making the Facebook post last August when the protests against Ms Hasina were raging in the country. The post called for Ms Hasina to be hanged.

Mr Titu reportedly told the tribunal the post only reflected his personal opinion and that it would not influence his job.

Ms Hasina fled by helicopter to neighbouring India after a student-led protest turned into an anti-government agitation and ended her 15-year authoritarian rule in the South Asian country.

She continues to live in Delhi, close to the corridors of power in the Indian capital, evading an extradition bid, while her party members are in Bangladeshi prisons.

According to a UN estimate, nearly 1,400 people were killed during the protests between July and August last year after Ms Hasina's Awami League government launched a crackdown on demonstrators in the capital Dhaka.

The tribunal found that Ms Hasina “directly ordered” security forces, her party and affiliated groups to launch operations which resulted in mass casualties.

"Upon scrutinising the evidence, we reached the conclusion that it was a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack," Mohammad Tajul Islam, the tribunal's chief prosecutor, said.

"The accused unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising.”

Mr Islam had filed charges against Ms Hasina and two of her officials, who were also charged with "abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising".

Prosecutors argued that Ms Hasina, as head of the government, was responsible for the security operations during the unrest.

The tribunal last October issued an arrest warrant for the former prime minister as well as 45 of her ministers, advisors, and military and civil officials.