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The country's previous leader has been sentenced to death for human rights violations over her harsh response on protests led by students which resulted in her forced departure.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of permitting fatal actions to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals died during the turmoil during 2024.

Hasina was tried in absentia by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, labeling the proceedings as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.

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

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection ahead of the decision on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and cheering as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a notable rise in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative the police spokesperson told press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 commenced through calls to eliminate government job quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could constitute "violations of human dignity".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources during the current year indicated she had authorized the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, family members of those killed during the protests stated to news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

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

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

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

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

She alerted during the past month that if the party's candidates were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the ballot.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her return but to date India has shown no willingness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney the defense lawyer said he was "disappointed and hoping the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my defendants are not present; that's why I am sad," he added.

The previous week, her legal team said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN highlighting significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial together with her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

While the sentence offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may do little to soothe the state's ideological splits.

"The anger against Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told press agencies. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the organization to receive endorsement by a majority of people in this nation."

The advocate continued that the punishment was not closure for the kin of those killed and injured.

"We support numerous persons 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, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This could alter if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he said.