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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity stemming from her crackdown on youth demonstrations which caused her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the unrest last year.

Hasina was tried in absentia by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, describing the process as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Answering the judgment in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the execution sentence was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection before the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and cheering as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official the authorities' representative informed media outlets.

The protest movement led by students last year began with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the deliberate maiming of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader authenticated by external reviews during the current year implied she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the proceedings.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those killed during the protests stated to media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is planned for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned during the past month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the vote.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer 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 disappointed," he continued.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her former home minister and police chief.

Even though the verdict provides certain resolution to kin of victims in the protests, it may not significantly ease the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed news organizations. "Both she and the organization has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this nation."

The campaigner further stated that the sentence was not finality for the families of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a regular participant of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "a form of contrition emerges and a disassociation with the former leader and the old leadership," he expressed.