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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity over her crackdown on student-led protests which resulted in her forced departure.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances 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.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and injured had demanded strict sentences.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was content of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under increased safeguards before the decision on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and celebrating as the verdict was read.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the authorities' representative informed news organizations.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year started with demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of others, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by investigative sources in previous months suggested she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, kin of those who died in the demonstrations informed press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

Lucky Akther, whose spouse died 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 find peace in their hearts."

After her departure, an caretaker administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is set for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the ballot.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her extradition but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; for that reason I am disheartened," he stated further.

Last week, her legal team said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial alongside her ex-interior minister and police chief.

While the sentence grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital informed media outlets. "The leader and her faction has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this nation."

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

"We work with multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from the former leader and the old leadership," he stated.