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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity stemming from her harsh response on student-led protests which resulted in her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals were killed during the unrest last year.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had demanded strict sentences.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, Hasina said the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was content of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under enhanced protection before the ruling on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and celebrating as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque informed news organizations.

The student-led uprising last year started with requests to remove government job quotas but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by media examinations in previous months indicated she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations told news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

After her departure, an temporary leadership headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were barred from participating in the forthcoming vote, millions would boycott the vote.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for both nations. Authorities have sought her extradition but to date India has shown no willingness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am disheartened," he stated further.

The previous week, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN highlighting significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

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

While the sentence provides certain resolution to kin of victims in the protests, it may do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at the former leader and the her political party has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this country."

The campaigner further stated that the sentence was not finality for the relatives of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We work with multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This may change if "a form of contrition emerges and a disassociation with Hasina and the old leadership," he said.