Bangladesh
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · While in 1997 capital offenses were extended to include...
- News items in the archive
- 1,311
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Bangladesh is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 1,311 news items on Bangladesh, from 1999 to today.
In Bangladesh capital punishment applies to a wide list of offences and is imposed both by the ordinary courts and by special tribunals, including the one for the crimes of the war of independence. The method is hanging.
Sentences are numerous and include trials with many defendants. The archive gathers sentences, executions and appeals.
Latest news
APRIL 13, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: BANGABANDHU’S KILLER MAJED HANGED
The self-confessed and convicted killer of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Abdul Majed was hanged on 12 April 2020 at Keraniganj Dhaka Central Jail amid tight security.
- APRIL 9, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: MERCY PLEA OF MAN WHO KILLED FOUNDING PRESIDENT REJECTED
The mercy petition of a man who has been sentenced to death for the killing of Bangladesh's founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was rejected on 8 April 2020 by incumbent President Md Abdul Hamid, a media report said.
MARCH 18, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: FATHER, UNCLE GET DEATH PENALTY FOR THE MURDER OF FIVE-YEAR-OLD CHILD
A Sunamganj court on 16 March 2020 handed down the death sentence to two people in connection with the murder of five-year-old child Tuhin Hasan last year.
MARCH 16, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 4 JMB MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HINDU PRIEST IN PANCHAGARH
Four members of banned militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were sentenced to death on 15 March 2020 for killing a Hindu priest in Panchagarh in 2016.
MARCH 11, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING CHILD AFTER RAPE IN WARI
A Dhaka court on 9 March 2020 sentenced a man to death for murdering six-year-old Samia Afrin after raping her in Wari a year ago.
MARCH 10, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TOYON MURDER IN KHULNA
Five people were sentenced to death and two others acquitted on 8 March 2020 over the murder of Kazi Tasfin Hossain Toyon, 32, in Khalishpur area of Khulna city in 2018.
MARCH 5, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF STUDENTS IN DEMRA
Dhaka’s Third Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Jayashri Samaddar on 3 March 2020 sentenced two people to death for the killing of students Faria Akhter Dola, 7, and Nusrat Jahan, 5, in Demra in 2019.
FEBRUARY 26, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: FOUR, INCLUDING SON, SENTENCED TO DEATH IN TANGAIL FOR KILLING FATHER
Tangail Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-2 Judge Farhan Ferdous on 23 February 2020 sentenced four people to death over their involment in a murder.
- FEBRUARY 10, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: HC UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY FOR FIVE JMB MEN
The High Court on 9 February 2020 confirmed the death penalty for five operatives of banned outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) for killing a public prosecutor of Jhalakathi, Advocate Haider Hossain, in 2007.
FEBRUARY 7, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER KILLING OF AL LEADER IN LAKSHMIPUR
A Lakshmipur court has sentenced three people to death over the killing of Awami League leader Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan in Lakshmipur six years ago.
- FEBRUARY 6, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 5 TO BE HANGED FOR KILLING CHILD IN DINAJPUR
A Dinajpur court on 5 February 2020 sentenced five people to death for killing a child after abduction in Ghoraghat upazila in 2015.
JANUARY 25, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING YOUTH
A court in Gaibandha on 16 January 2020 sentenced three people to death for their roles in killing a young man in 2015.
JANUARY 23, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING OF BUSINESSMAN IN BRAHMANBARIA
A Brahmanbaria court on 6 January 2020 sentenced four people to death for killing a businessman from Old Dhaka in 2014.
JANUARY 22, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 5 EX-COPS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING
A Bangladesh court sentenced five former police officials to death on 20 January 2020 for opening fire on a motorcade of then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina 31 years ago, killing 24 of her supporters during an anti-government rally.
JANUARY 21, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 10 ISLAMISTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 2001 BOMBING
A Bangladeshi court sentenced 10 Islamic militants to death on 20 January 2020 for the bombing at communist party rally two decades ago that killed five people.
JANUARY 14, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: SC UPHOLDS QAISAR’S DEATH PENALTY
The Supreme Court on 14 January 2020 upheld the death sentence of Jatiya Party leader Syed Mohammad Qaisar for his crimes against humanity and war crimes during the Liberation War of the country in 1971.
- JANUARY 1, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
Article 32 of the Constitution provides
Article 32 of the Constitution provides
DECEMBER 5, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: THREE JMB MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING AN OPERATIVE OF THE SAME OUTFIT IN CHAPAINAWABGANJ
A Chapainawabganj court has sentenced three members of the banned militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) to death and four others to life in prison for killing an operative of the same group in 2012.
- NOVEMBER 27, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 7 MILITANTS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN CAFE ATTACK
A special anti-terrorism tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced seven members of a banned militant group to death on 27 November 2019 for their involvement in an attack on a Dhaka cafe that killed more than 20 people, mostly foreigners.
NOVEMBER 6, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF JAMAAT LEADER
Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on 31 October 2019 upheld a death sentence against a top Islamist leader for war crimes in a move that lawyers said meant he would almost certainly be executed in the coming months.
OCTOBER 24, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 16 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING TEENAGER IN HARASSMENT CASE
The principal of a religious school in Bangladesh was among 16 people sentenced to death on 24 October 2019 for the murder of a teenage girl who refused to withdraw a complaint of sexual harassment against him, the public prosecutor said.
OCTOBER 23, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 4 MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING FARIDPUR TRADER
A court in Faridpur on 20 October 2019 sentenced four men to death for murdering trader Bikash Saha in Bhanga upazila two years ago.
- OCTOBER 22, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 7 GET DEATH FOR KILLING WOMAN AFTER RAPE IN JOYPURHAT
A Joypurhat tribunal on 22 October 2019 convicted seven people and sentenced them to death for killing a woman after raping in Akkelpur Upazila in 2016.
OCTOBER 21, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 12 GET DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER IN KISHOREGANJ
A Dhaka tribunal on 21 October 2019 sentenced 12 people to death for killing a man in Kishoreganj in 2015.
OCTOBER 17, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: TWO TO DIE, THREE TO SERVE LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR KILLING HOUSEWIFE IN JHALOKATI
A court on 23 September 2019 sentenced two people to death, and three others to life term imprisonment, for killing a housewife in 2002.
OCTOBER 16, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: THREE MUGGERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF ANSAR MEMBER IN DHAKA
A Dhaka court on 9 October 2019 sentenced three men to death for the murder of an Ansar member in Dhaka 17 years ago.
- OCTOBER 15, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WAR CRIME
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on 15 October 2019 sentenced five war criminals to death for their crimes against humanity during the liberation war in 1971, reports UNB.
- OCTOBER 14, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 7 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER IN FARIDPUR
A Faridpur court on 10 October 2019 sentenced seven people to death for killing a truck driver in 2014.
OCTOBER 1, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: FIVE MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OVER CARD GAME IN FARIDPUR
A Faridpur court on 29 September 2019 handed the death sentence to five men for murdering a man in a dispute over a card game five years ago.
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 4 TO DIE FOR KILLING MANIKGANJ SCHOOLGIRL AFTER GANG RAPE
A court in Manikganj on 24 September 2019 convicted four people and sentenced them to death for killing a schoolgirl after gang rape in 2008.