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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for human rights violations stemming from her severe measures on protests led by students which caused her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the turmoil during 2024.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted all charges, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Next of kin of victims and injured had requested severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, Hasina said the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her administration's performance on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security ahead of the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and cheering as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the police spokesperson informed press agencies.

The student-led uprising last year began with requests to remove state employment quotas but morphed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of a number of activists, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by external reviews in previous months implied she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, kin of those who died in the demonstrations told news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

A family representative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

Following her removal, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the vote.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but until now India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her her legal counsel said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

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

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her former home minister 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 anger against Hasina and the her political party has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist told news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this nation."

The campaigner further stated that the sentence was not resolution for the families of those killed and injured.

"We assist numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Hasina and the previous administration," he said.