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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for atrocities due to her severe measures on youth demonstrations which resulted in her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals lost their lives during the turmoil in the previous year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had demanded severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was proud of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to face my accusers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security prior to the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and celebrating as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a recent spike in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque stated to media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 commenced through demands to abolish government job quotas but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors said in a report in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources during the current year suggested she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those killed during the protests informed news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

One relative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will obtain solace in their souls."

Following her removal, an interim government headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the ballot.

This decision presents a international dilemma for both nations. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; for that reason I am disappointed," he stated further.

Recently, her legal team 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 in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital told press agencies. "Both she and the organization 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 majority of people in this state."

The activist added that the sentence was not closure for the relatives of those who died and were wounded.

"We support several people who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a distancing from Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.