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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity over her crackdown on student-led protests which caused her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the unrest last year.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Families of those killed and harmed had requested tough penalties.

Responding to the decision 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 political force and that she was proud of her administration's performance on human rights.

"I have no trepidation 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 increased safeguards ahead of the decision on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and cheering as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a recent spike in unrest, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson informed media outlets.

The student-led uprising in the previous year commenced through calls to eliminate state employment quotas but transformed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

International human rights monitors stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "violations of human dignity".

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by investigative sources during the current year suggested she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Before the decision, kin of those who died in the demonstrations stated to press outlets they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their souls."

Following her removal, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the election.

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her return but to date India has shown no willingness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney the defense lawyer said he was "disappointed and hoping the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; that's why I am disappointed," he continued.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial alongside her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

Even though the verdict grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the Awami League has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital informed media outlets. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this state."

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

"We support numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a distancing from Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.