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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity over her crackdown on youth demonstrations which caused her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, with approximately 1,400 individuals were killed during the unrest during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. The former leader rejected all charges, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had demanded severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the temporary leadership's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her leadership's history on human rights.

"I do not fear to meet my challengers in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security before the ruling on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina holding a protest and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official Jisanul Haque stated to news organizations.

The student-led uprising last year began with requests to remove government job quotas but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of further participants, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina authenticated by media examinations in previous months suggested she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those killed during the protests told news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their souls."

Following her removal, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is set for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

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

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 agree.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

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

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

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

While the sentence provides certain resolution to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital told news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This complicates matters for the organization to receive endorsement by a majority of people in this state."

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

"We support numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it even more difficult" for the political faction to become a standard element of the country's governance system again.

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