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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity stemming from her harsh response on student-led protests which resulted in her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people died during the turmoil during 2024.

The trial proceeded in absentia 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 multiple fatalities during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and injured had requested tough penalties.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, Hasina said the execution sentence was the temporary leadership's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her administration's performance on human rights.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection ahead of the ruling on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a notable rise in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and buses set on fire 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 informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt last year commenced through requests to remove government job quotas but morphed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of others, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader verified by investigative sources 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.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those who died in the demonstrations stated to news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

A family representative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for Hasina and others who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and abused their power".

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

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

After her departure, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the her former political organization, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the forthcoming vote, millions would boycott the election.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her return but to date India has expressed no readiness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer her legal counsel said he was "disappointed and hoping the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am sad," he stated further.

Last week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina alongside her former home minister and police chief.

While the sentence grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may do little to soothe the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a human rights advocate from the capital told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this country."

The activist added that the punishment was not finality for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Hasina and the old leadership," he stated.