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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for atrocities over her harsh response on protests led by students which led to her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people lost their lives during the turmoil during 2024.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Families of those killed and injured had requested strict sentences.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on civil liberties.

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

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection before the decision on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and cheering as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a recent spike in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official the authorities' representative told news organizations.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year commenced through demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of others, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls authenticated by media examinations during the current year implied she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those who died in the demonstrations informed media representatives they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

Another relative, whose husband was killed 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 achieve closure in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

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

She alerted during the past month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the ballot.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for both nations. Authorities have sought her extradition but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "disappointed and hoping the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my defendants are not present; which is why I am sad," he continued.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence provides certain resolution to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a human rights advocate from the capital stated to news organizations. "The leader and her faction has apologised or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

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

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

"We support numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a distancing from Hasina and the previous administration," he said.