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The country's previous leader has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity over her severe measures on protests led by students which led to her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the turmoil during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. The former leader rejected all charges, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

This judgment represents a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, the former leader stated the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was content of her administration's performance on individual freedoms.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection prior to the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina holding a protest and celebrating as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a sudden increase in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official Jisanul Haque informed news organizations.

The protest movement led by students last year commenced through calls to eliminate government job quotas but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could constitute "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the trial.

Ahead of the verdict, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest told press outlets they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is set for February 2026.

However, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the election.

This decision presents a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her extradition but until now India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; that's why I am disappointed," he continued.

The previous week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina alongside her former home minister and police chief.

Although the punishment offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may not significantly ease the nation's partisan rifts.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital informed 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 activist added that the penalty was not closure for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"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."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

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