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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over her crackdown on protests led by students which led to her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, with approximately 1,400 individuals died during the disturbances last year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of numerous deaths during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

This judgment represents a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

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

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under increased safeguards before the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a sudden increase in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque told press agencies.

The student-led uprising during 2024 began with requests to remove state employment quotas but transformed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners said in a report in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could constitute "violations of human dignity".

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of others, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader verified by media examinations during the current year suggested she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those who died in the demonstrations informed press outlets 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 "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the her former political organization, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the vote.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but to date India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

Her officially designated attorney the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am sad," he stated further.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN highlighting significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

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

While the sentence provides certain resolution to kin of victims in the protests, it may do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The anger against the former leader and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or displayed repentance for the killings of hundreds of people."

The advocate declared "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this country."

The advocate continued that the sentence was not finality for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We assist numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

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