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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over her severe measures on protests led by students which led to her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances in the previous year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied the entire case, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and injured had called for severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, the former leader stated the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a electoral entity and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security prior to the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors holding a protest and celebrating as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a recent spike in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative the police spokesperson told media outlets.

The student-led uprising last year started with calls to eliminate government job quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

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

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by investigative sources earlier this year suggested she had authorized the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those killed during the protests told news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

"Only then the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Awami League, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the election.

This decision presents a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her extradition 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 decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; which is why I am disappointed," he added.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and police chief.

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

"The resentment towards the former leader and the her political party has not diminished," a human rights advocate from the capital told media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the killings of hundreds of people."

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

The activist added that the sentence was not resolution for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We work with multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he said.