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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for human rights violations due to her crackdown on student-led protests which resulted in her forced departure.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom were killed during the turmoil in the previous year.

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

Prosecutors accused her of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The verdict marks a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and injured had demanded tough penalties.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security ahead of the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and cheering as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative the police spokesperson stated to media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year commenced through requests to remove public sector reservation policies but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of others, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by external reviews earlier this year indicated she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, kin of those who died in the demonstrations stated to media representatives they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and abused their power".

Another relative, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their minds."

Following her removal, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the her former political organization, Hasina's political party, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the forthcoming vote, millions would boycott the election.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but until now India has expressed no readiness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

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

Recently, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

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

Although the punishment provides certain resolution to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The resentment towards Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "It makes it difficult for the organization to receive endorsement by a most citizens in this country."

The activist added that the penalty was not finality for the relatives of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We work with numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he said.