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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for atrocities over her severe measures on protests led by students which led to her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom died during the disturbances last year.

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

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied the entire case, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, she expressed the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her administration's performance on individual freedoms.

"I have no trepidation to meet my challengers in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection prior to the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and cheering as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a recent spike in turmoil, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative the police spokesperson told news organizations.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year started with demands to abolish state employment quotas but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "violations of human dignity".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by external reviews earlier this year suggested she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations told media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

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

"Only then the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their hearts."

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

Nevertheless, the her former political organization, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the party's candidates were barred from participating in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the ballot.

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her repatriation but until now India has expressed no readiness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; which is why I am disappointed," he added.

The previous week, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

While the sentence grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

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

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the organization to receive endorsement by a most citizens in this country."

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

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from Hasina and the former hierarchy," he expressed.