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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for human rights violations due to her crackdown on student-led protests which resulted in her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the disturbances during 2024.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted all charges, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had called for tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, Hasina said the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was content of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and tested fairly."

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

The city has seen a recent spike in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative the police spokesperson informed news organizations.

The student-led uprising last year began with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

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

The study recorded the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of further participants, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by external reviews during the current year suggested she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations informed press outlets they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

"Solely at that point the families of those killed [in the protests] will obtain solace in their souls."

Following her removal, an interim government headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is planned for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, Hasina's political party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the vote.

This decision presents a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her return but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disappointed," he continued.

The previous week, the defense attorneys said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and security forces head.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against the former leader and the the former ruling faction has not decreased," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka informed media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "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 closure for the kin of those killed and injured.

"We assist numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

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