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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity stemming from her harsh response on youth demonstrations which caused her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the disturbances in the previous year.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of numerous deaths during the protests. The former leader rejected all charges, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had demanded tough penalties.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, Hasina said the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I do not fear to face my accusers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection ahead of the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and applauding as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a recent spike in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the police spokesperson told press agencies.

The student-led uprising during 2024 commenced through requests to remove public sector reservation policies but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

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

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by external reviews during the current year indicated she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, family members of those killed during the protests stated to 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 the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

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

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned 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.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but so far India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "disappointed and hoping the verdict had been different".

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

Recently, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN raising significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Hasina was tried alongside her former home minister and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to news organizations. "Both she and the organization has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the deaths of numerous individuals."

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

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

"We work with multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" 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 disassociation with Hasina and the old leadership," he said.