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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for human rights violations stemming from her harsh response on student-led protests which led to her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, with approximately 1,400 individuals lost their lives during the turmoil last year.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "biased and politically motivated".

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and wounded had called for severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, the former leader stated the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was proud of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security prior to the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in disturbances, with numerous incendiary devices set off and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson informed media outlets.

The student-led uprising during 2024 started with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

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

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader confirmed by media examinations during the current year 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, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest told press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

Another relative, 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 relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their minds."

Following her removal, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is planned for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government 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 vote.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her repatriation but so far India has shown no willingness to comply.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

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

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal 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 offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the state's ideological splits.

"The anger against Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This complicates matters for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this country."

The campaigner further stated that the penalty was not resolution for the families of those killed and injured.

"We assist multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a regular participant of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "an expression of regret occurs and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.