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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for human rights violations stemming from her harsh response on student-led protests which caused her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals died during the unrest during 2024.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted all charges, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for tough penalties.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, the former leader stated the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to meet my challengers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security prior to the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and applauding as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a sudden increase in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative the police spokesperson told news organizations.

The student-led uprising in the previous year started with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "human rights atrocities".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina authenticated by investigative sources in previous months suggested she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those killed during the protests told media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

A family representative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and abused their power".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their souls."

Following her removal, an temporary leadership under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

The former leader cautioned last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the vote.

This decision presents a international dilemma for both nations. The Bangladesh government has asked her return but to date India has expressed no readiness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; for that reason I am disheartened," he stated further.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed press agencies. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this state."

The campaigner further stated that the penalty was not closure for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We assist numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

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