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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity stemming from her severe measures on protests led by students which resulted in her forced departure.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Families of those killed and injured had called for tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, the former leader stated the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security prior to the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and cheering as the verdict was read.

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

A minimum of one detonation was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the police spokesperson stated to news organizations.

The student-led uprising during 2024 commenced through requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of others, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina authenticated by external reviews earlier this year implied she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

Another relative, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

After her departure, an temporary leadership headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is planned for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

She alerted last month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the election.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her repatriation but until now India has expressed no readiness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; for that reason I am disappointed," he stated further.

Last week, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN raising significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and police chief.

Although the punishment offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a human rights advocate from the capital stated to news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or displayed repentance for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The advocate declared "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this state."

The campaigner further stated that the sentence was not resolution for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist several people who lost their limbs forever, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for her party to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from the former leader and the old leadership," he said.