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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for atrocities stemming from her crackdown on protests led by students which caused her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals lost their lives during the turmoil last year.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and injured had called for severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, the former leader stated the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I have no trepidation to face my accusers in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

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

The city has seen a sudden increase in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative the authorities' representative stated to media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 began with demands to abolish government job quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of further participants, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader verified by external reviews during the current year indicated she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those killed during the protests stated to 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 the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

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

"Exclusively thereafter the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their souls."

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

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

She alerted during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the ballot.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition but until now India has shown no willingness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney 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 disheartened," he stated further.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

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

While the sentence offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the her political party has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist told media outlets. "Both she and the organization has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This complicates matters for the organization to receive endorsement by a majority of people in this nation."

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

"We assist numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

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