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The country's previous leader has been given a death sentence for atrocities over her severe measures on student-led protests which caused her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people died during the disturbances during 2024.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. The former leader rejected the entire case, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Families of those killed and injured had requested tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, Hasina said the execution sentence was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a electoral entity and that she was satisfied of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a just legal forum where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under enhanced protection ahead of the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and celebrating as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a recent spike in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the period preceding the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the authorities' representative informed press agencies.

The student-led uprising in the previous year started with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

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

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources in previous months suggested she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the families of those killed [in the protests] will obtain solace in their souls."

Following her removal, an temporary leadership under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the party's candidates were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the ballot.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her repatriation but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "disappointed and hoping the decision had been otherwise".

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

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN highlighting serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Hasina was tried alongside her ex-interior minister and police chief.

Even though the verdict offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital informed media outlets. "The leader and her faction has said sorry or displayed repentance 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 advocate continued that the sentence was not closure for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing 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 the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he said.