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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for atrocities stemming from her crackdown on protests led by students which led to her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom died during the disturbances in the previous year.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had requested strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, she expressed the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under increased safeguards before the verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and cheering as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in unrest, with dozens of bombs exploded and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, local police official Jisanul Haque stated to news organizations.

The protest movement led by students last year began with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader verified by external reviews earlier this year indicated she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, family members of those killed during the protests informed press outlets they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "implemented before the election".

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

After her departure, an interim government under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the the League's representatives were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the ballot.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for both nations. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but until now India has shown no willingness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disheartened," he continued.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial together with her ex-interior 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 nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Hasina and the Awami League has not decreased," a human rights advocate from the capital stated to media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the deaths of numerous individuals."

She said "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this country."

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

"We work with several people who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, 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 could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from the former leader and the old leadership," he stated.