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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity stemming from her severe measures on protests led by students which resulted in her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom were killed during the disturbances last year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, describing the process as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was satisfied of her administration's performance on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to face my accusers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under increased safeguards prior to the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and cheering as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the police spokesperson informed news organizations.

The protest movement led by students during 2024 started with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but transformed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

International human rights monitors said in a report in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "violations of human dignity".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by external reviews in previous months implied she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, relatives of those killed during the protests stated to news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, 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 exploited their positions".

Another relative, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

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

After her departure, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

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

She alerted last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the forthcoming vote, countless would abstain the election.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

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

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disheartened," he added.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial alongside her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

While the sentence 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 decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to press agencies. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this state."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not closure for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We support several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from the former leader and the previous administration," he stated.