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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity stemming from her harsh response on protests led by students which led to her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. The former leader rejected the entire case, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had requested tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her government's record on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection prior to the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and cheering as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a recent spike in turmoil, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative the police spokesperson told news organizations.

The youth-driven revolt last year started with calls to eliminate government job quotas but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Disclosed sound files of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

After her departure, an interim government under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the vote.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her return but so far India has shown no willingness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my defendants are not present; that's why I am sad," he added.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and security forces head.

Although the punishment provides certain resolution to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka informed news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this country."

The activist added that the punishment was not closure for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We assist numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.