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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for atrocities due to her severe measures 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 disturbances last year.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and injured had requested severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, she expressed the death penalty was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was content of her administration's performance on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the facts can be assessed and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection ahead of the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors holding a protest and cheering as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the police spokesperson stated to media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year commenced through demands to abolish state employment quotas but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by media examinations during the current year suggested she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives 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 "exemplary punishment" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed 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 under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, Hasina's political party, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the forthcoming vote, countless would abstain the vote.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but to date India has expressed no readiness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; for that reason I am sad," he continued.

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

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence provides certain resolution to kin of victims in the protests, it may not significantly ease the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital told news organizations. "The leader and her faction has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

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

The campaigner further stated that the punishment was not resolution for the families of those who died and were wounded.

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

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Hasina and the old leadership," he expressed.