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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for human rights violations over her severe measures on student-led protests which resulted in her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom were killed during the unrest in the previous year.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, labeling the proceedings as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had demanded tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, Hasina said the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was content of her leadership's history on human rights.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under increased safeguards before the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors holding a protest and applauding as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a sudden increase in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, local police official the police spokesperson stated to news organizations.

The student-led uprising during 2024 started with demands to abolish government job quotas but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of others, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader authenticated by media examinations during the current year implied she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, kin of those killed during the protests told media representatives they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

"Solely at that point the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

After her departure, an interim government headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is set for February 2026.

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

She alerted in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the forthcoming vote, millions would boycott the ballot.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition but so far India has shown no willingness to comply.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "disappointed and hoping the outcome had varied".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am sad," he continued.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN raising significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial together with her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

While the sentence offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The resentment towards Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or displayed repentance for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this nation."

The campaigner further stated that the sentence was not finality for the kin 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."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction 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 "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.