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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for human rights violations stemming from her harsh response on youth demonstrations which caused her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom were killed during the turmoil last year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being behind multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and wounded had called for tough penalties.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was content of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security ahead of the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina holding a protest and applauding as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the period preceding the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the police spokesperson stated to press agencies.

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

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "human rights atrocities".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by investigative sources earlier this year implied she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those fatally injured in the unrest told news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and abused their power".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the families of those killed [in the protests] will achieve closure in their souls."

Following her removal, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is planned for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the vote.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition but to date India has expressed no readiness to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disappointed," he stated further.

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN highlighting significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial alongside her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

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 Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed press agencies. "Both she and the organization has apologised or shown any remorse for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this nation."

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

"We support numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he stated.