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

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals were killed during the unrest in the previous year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied the entire case, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had demanded tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the caretaker administration's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was content of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under increased safeguards prior to the verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and applauding as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a notable rise in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque informed news organizations.

The youth-driven revolt last year began with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

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

The report documented the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of further participants, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by investigative sources during the current year implied she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those who died in the demonstrations informed news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

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

Following her removal, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is planned for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the her faction's nominees were barred from participating in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the ballot.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her repatriation but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; that's why I am disappointed," he continued.

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

Hasina was tried alongside her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not subsided," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told media outlets. "Both she and the organization has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this country."

The activist added that the sentence was not closure for the kin of those killed and injured.

"We assist numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.