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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for atrocities over her harsh response on youth demonstrations which resulted in her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, with approximately 1,400 individuals lost their lives during the turmoil in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

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

This judgment represents a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Next of kin of victims and injured had demanded strict sentences.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, she expressed the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was proud of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I have no trepidation to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security ahead of the decision on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and applauding as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a sudden increase in disturbances, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative the authorities' representative told news organizations.

The student-led uprising in the previous year started with calls to eliminate government job quotas but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader confirmed by external reviews earlier this year indicated she had sanctioned the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest told 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 "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

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

Following her removal, an temporary leadership led by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the party's candidates were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the ballot.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her repatriation but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "disappointed and hoping the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my defendants are not present; which is why I am sad," he added.

Last week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and top law enforcement officer.

Even though the verdict provides certain resolution to families of killed in the protests, it may not significantly ease the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed press agencies. "Both she and the organization has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

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

The activist added that the punishment was not finality for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We support several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he stated.