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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for human rights violations stemming from her severe measures on student-led protests which resulted in her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom died during the turmoil in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied the entire case, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had requested strict sentences.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was proud of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under enhanced protection prior to the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and cheering as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative Jisanul Haque informed news organizations.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year commenced through calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors said in a report in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could constitute "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by media examinations during the current year suggested she had sanctioned the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest informed news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" 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 Hasina's sentence to be "implemented before the election".

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

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the vote.

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

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am sad," he continued.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN raising serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Hasina was tried alongside her ex-interior minister and police chief.

While the sentence grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This creates challenges for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this state."

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

"We assist several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a standard element of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a distancing from Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.