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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for atrocities due to her severe measures on student-led protests which resulted in her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom died during the disturbances in the previous year.

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

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and injured had demanded tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was content of her administration's performance on civil liberties.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection prior to the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and applauding as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt last year started with demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of a number of activists, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader verified by external reviews during the current year indicated she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those who died in the demonstrations informed press outlets they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will obtain solace in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is set for February 2026.

However, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration 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 ballot.

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

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

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

Recently, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina alongside her former home minister and police chief.

While the sentence offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The anger against Hasina and the her political party has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told press agencies. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or displayed repentance for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a most citizens in this nation."

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

"We support multiple individuals who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for the political faction to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.