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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for atrocities due to her severe measures on protests led by students which caused her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest in the previous 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.

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

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had called for severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was content of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under increased safeguards before the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

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

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative Jisanul Haque informed media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year started with demands to abolish government job quotas but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Disclosed sound files of one of Hasina's phone calls authenticated by investigative sources earlier this year indicated she had authorized the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, family members of those killed during the protests stated to press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

One relative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "executed before the election".

"Solely at that point the families of those killed [in the protests] will obtain solace in their minds."

After her departure, an caretaker administration under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was banned 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 forthcoming vote, millions would boycott the ballot.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for both nations. Authorities have sought her repatriation but so far India has shown no willingness to agree.

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

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am disappointed," he stated further.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment provides certain resolution to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to media outlets. "Both she and the organization has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the deaths of numerous individuals."

She said "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a most citizens in this country."

The activist added that the penalty was not resolution for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We work with several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "a form of contrition emerges and a disassociation with the former leader and the previous administration," he stated.