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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity over her harsh response on protests led by students which led to her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, with approximately 1,400 individuals died during the unrest during 2024.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was satisfied of her government's record on human rights.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers 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 verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors holding a protest and cheering as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the authorities' representative informed media outlets.

The student-led uprising in the previous year started with demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader authenticated by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had authorized the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the trial.

Before the decision, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest informed media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

Another relative, 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 families of those killed [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

Following her removal, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

The former leader cautioned last month that if the her faction's nominees were banned from standing in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the election.

The verdict now poses a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her return but to date India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

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

Last week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her former home minister and security forces head.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The anger against the former leader and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a human rights advocate from the capital told press agencies. "Both she and the organization has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "It makes it difficult for the organization to receive endorsement by a most citizens in this country."

The activist added that the punishment was not closure for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon 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 normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he said.