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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for atrocities stemming from her harsh response on youth demonstrations which resulted in her removal from power.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom were killed during the disturbances last year.

Legal proceedings were conducted in absentia by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of numerous deaths during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Next of kin of victims and injured had requested tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, she expressed the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security ahead of the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a notable rise in turmoil, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson informed press agencies.

The student-led uprising last year started with demands to abolish state employment quotas but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of further participants, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources in previous months implied she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest told news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, 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".

Another relative, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "executed before the election".

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

Following her removal, an caretaker administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

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

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were barred from participating in the forthcoming vote, numerous would avoid the election.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but so far India has expressed no readiness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney the defense lawyer said he was "disappointed and hoping the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he stated further.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial alongside her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

Even though the verdict grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a majority of people in this state."

The campaigner further stated that the penalty was not resolution for the kin of those killed and injured.

"We assist several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. 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 Awami League to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Hasina and the old leadership," he said.