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The country's previous leader has been sentenced to death for human rights violations stemming from her severe measures on student-led protests which caused her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest in the previous year.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted all charges, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over long-standing suppression. Next of kin of victims and wounded had demanded tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, Hasina said the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her government's record on human rights.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a proper tribunal where the facts can be assessed and tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security ahead of the verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and celebrating as the verdict was read.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in disturbances, with numerous incendiary devices set off and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson stated to press agencies.

The student-led uprising last year commenced through calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but transformed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

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

The report documented the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of others, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources earlier this year indicated she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those who died in the demonstrations informed news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for Hasina and others who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and abused their power".

Another relative, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

"Solely at that point 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 parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, Hasina's political party, was banned 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, numerous would avoid the vote.

The verdict now poses a foreign relations issue for both nations. Dhaka has formally requested her return but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; for that reason I am disheartened," he added.

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

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

Even though the verdict offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not decreased," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this state."

The campaigner further stated that the punishment was not finality for the relatives of those who died and were wounded.

"We support multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

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