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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for human rights violations over her crackdown on student-led protests which led to her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the turmoil last year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted all charges, labeling the proceedings as "biased and politically motivated".

The verdict marks a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and injured had requested strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, Hasina said the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was content of her government's record on civil liberties.

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

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security before the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and cheering as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a sudden increase in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 began with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina authenticated by external reviews during the current year suggested she had approved the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those fatally injured in the unrest told news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and abused their power".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "executed before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their souls."

After her departure, an interim government led by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is set for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

She alerted last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the election.

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disappointed," he added.

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN raising significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her ex-interior minister and police chief.

Even though the verdict offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the Awami League has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed media outlets. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or displayed repentance for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the organization to receive endorsement by a most citizens in this nation."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not resolution for the relatives of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We support several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.