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The country's previous leader has been given a death sentence for human rights violations stemming from her crackdown on student-led protests which caused her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom were killed during the disturbances in the previous year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, describing the process as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and injured had requested severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, the former leader stated the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection ahead of the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and celebrating as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative Jisanul Haque told media outlets.

The protest movement led by students during 2024 began with requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

UN human rights investigators declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by external reviews during the current year suggested she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the trial.

Before the decision, family members of those killed during the protests informed media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

Another relative, 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".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their souls."

After her departure, an caretaker administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the vote.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for both nations. Dhaka has formally requested her return but to date India has shown no willingness to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "disappointed and hoping the outcome had varied".

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

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

While the sentence grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Hasina 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 advocate declared "This complicates matters for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this state."

The activist added that the punishment was not resolution for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he stated.