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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity due to her harsh response on student-led protests which led to her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances during 2024.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and injured had demanded tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, Hasina said the execution sentence was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was content of her government's record on individual freedoms.

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

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and celebrating as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a notable rise in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson told media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 started with requests to remove government job quotas but transformed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

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

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the intentional injuring of others, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls authenticated by media examinations during the current year suggested she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest informed news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

Another relative, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

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

Following her removal, an temporary leadership under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A national vote is planned for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, Hasina's political party, was banned by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the forthcoming vote, millions would boycott the vote.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but until now India has shown no willingness to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; for that reason I am disappointed," he added.

The previous week, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN raising major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina alongside her ex-interior minister and top law enforcement officer.

Even though the verdict grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may do little to soothe the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital informed media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this country."

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

"We assist several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, 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 "an expression of regret occurs and a disassociation with the former leader and the former hierarchy," he said.