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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity due to her crackdown on youth demonstrations which resulted in her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, with approximately 1,400 individuals were killed during the unrest in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted all charges, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Families of those killed and wounded had demanded tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, she expressed the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a electoral entity and that she was satisfied of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I have no trepidation to meet my challengers in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection before the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and cheering as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in disturbances, 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 victims identified, local police official the police spokesperson informed news organizations.

The student-led uprising during 2024 began with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of others, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader verified by external reviews in previous months suggested she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those who died in the demonstrations informed media representatives they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, 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".

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

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their souls."

After her departure, an temporary leadership led by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the election.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for both nations. Authorities have sought her extradition but so far India has expressed no readiness to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am disheartened," he stated further.

Last week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her former home minister and security forces head.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the her political party has not subsided," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has expressed regret or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "It makes it difficult for the organization to receive endorsement by a most citizens in this nation."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not finality for the kin of those killed and injured.

"We assist several people who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with the former leader and the previous administration," he stated.