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The country's previous leader has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity over her harsh response on protests led by students which caused her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, with approximately 1,400 individuals died during the unrest during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected all charges, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

This judgment represents a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had requested strict sentences.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, Hasina said the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was content of her government's record on individual freedoms.

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

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under increased safeguards ahead of the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and cheering as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a recent spike in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative told news organizations.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 began with requests to remove state employment quotas but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by media examinations earlier this year implied she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those killed during the protests informed media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

One relative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will obtain solace in their souls."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the her former political organization, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the vote.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her extradition but until now India has expressed no readiness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am sad," he stated further.

The previous week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The resentment towards Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a human rights advocate from the capital informed news organizations. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this state."

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

"We work with numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

A journalist, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it particularly hard" for her party to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from the former leader and the previous administration," he said.