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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for atrocities stemming from her severe measures on protests led by students which resulted in her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the turmoil during 2024.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

This judgment represents a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, Hasina said the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was satisfied of her administration's performance on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security ahead of the verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a sudden increase in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and public transport vehicles burned in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative informed media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt last year began with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners said in a report in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by investigative sources during the current year indicated she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the proceedings.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest told media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were barred from participating in the forthcoming vote, countless would abstain the ballot.

This decision presents a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her return but until now India has expressed no readiness to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her 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 disappointed," he continued.

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

Legal proceedings involved Hasina 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 do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist told media outlets. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "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 families of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We work with several people who lost their limbs forever, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They will never be able to forgive her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from the former leader and the old leadership," he expressed.