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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for atrocities over her crackdown on student-led protests which resulted in her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom were killed during the unrest in the previous year.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) 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 all charges, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, the former leader stated the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her administration's performance on civil liberties.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, 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 disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, local police official the authorities' representative told press agencies.

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

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by media examinations during the current year implied she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, family members of those who died in the demonstrations informed media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

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

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

After her departure, an caretaker administration headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

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

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

This decision presents a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her return but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer her legal counsel said he was "disappointed and hoping the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; which is why I am disheartened," he stated further.

The previous week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her former home minister 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 state's ideological splits.

"The anger against the former leader and the Awami League has not subsided," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka informed news organizations. "Both she and the organization has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this state."

The campaigner further stated that the sentence was not closure for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for her party to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he said.