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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity over her severe measures on student-led protests which caused her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest in the previous year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection ahead of the decision on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and applauding as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in disturbances, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the authorities' representative told press agencies.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year started with demands to abolish state employment quotas but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by media examinations earlier this year indicated she had sanctioned the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations stated to media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

After her departure, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, Hasina's political party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the vote.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her return but so far India has expressed no readiness to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; which is why I am sad," he continued.

Recently, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

Hasina was tried alongside her former home minister and top law enforcement officer.

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 Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not diminished," a human rights advocate from the capital informed press agencies. "The leader and her faction has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This complicates matters for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this nation."

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

"We assist numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.