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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for atrocities stemming from her crackdown on student-led protests which resulted in her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the turmoil during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected the entire case, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested strict sentences.

Answering the judgment in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was content of her leadership's history 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 prior to the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and applauding as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a recent spike in disturbances, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the police spokesperson stated to news organizations.

The student-led uprising last year commenced through calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the deliberate maiming of further participants, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by media examinations earlier this year implied she had approved the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for her and co-accused who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

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

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an caretaker administration headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the vote.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her extradition but until now India has shown no willingness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am sad," he added.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her former home minister and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to press agencies. "Both she and the organization has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "This complicates matters for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this country."

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

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They will never be able to forgive her."

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

This may change if "a form of contrition emerges and a disassociation with Hasina and the old leadership," he expressed.