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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for atrocities due to her harsh response on protests led by students which led to her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people died during the disturbances last year.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and injured had called for severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was satisfied of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection ahead of the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina holding a protest and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a notable rise in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official the police spokesperson told news organizations.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year commenced through demands to abolish state employment quotas but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by external reviews in previous months implied she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, kin of those who died in the demonstrations told news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

Lucky Akther, 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 kin of victims [in the protests] will obtain solace in their souls."

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government led by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is planned for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the election.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her return but so far India has shown no willingness to comply.

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

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disappointed," he continued.

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

The former leader faced trial alongside her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

While the sentence grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has said sorry or displayed repentance for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "It makes it difficult for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this country."

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

"We assist multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.