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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity due to her severe measures on student-led protests which caused her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, among whom around 1,400 people died during the disturbances last year.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied the entire case, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and wounded had requested strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, the former leader stated the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security ahead of the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors holding a protest and applauding as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official Jisanul Haque stated to news organizations.

The student-led uprising in the previous year started with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by investigative sources during the current year indicated she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those killed during the protests informed press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

One relative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "executed before the election".

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

However, the her former political organization, Hasina's political party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the vote.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her return but until now India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "disappointed and hoping the outcome had varied".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he continued.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

While the sentence grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the country's political divisions.

"The anger against the former leader and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital stated to press agencies. "The leader and her faction has said sorry or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this country."

The advocate continued that the punishment was not finality for the families of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We assist numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.