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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity stemming from her harsh response on protests led by students which resulted in her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, with approximately 1,400 individuals lost their lives during the disturbances in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted in absentia by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and injured had demanded strict sentences.

Responding to the decision in a five-page statement, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body 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 evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security before the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and cheering as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a notable rise in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The protest movement led by students during 2024 started with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

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

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader confirmed by media examinations earlier this year indicated she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for Hasina and others who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "implemented before the election".

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their souls."

After her departure, an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the ballot.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her return but so far India has shown no willingness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her her legal counsel said he was "disappointed and hoping the verdict had been different".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; which is why I am sad," he continued.

Recently, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN raising major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

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

Although the punishment offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to press agencies. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this state."

The activist added that the penalty was not closure for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We work with several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

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

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from the former leader and the old leadership," he expressed.