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The country's previous leader has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity stemming from her harsh response on youth demonstrations which resulted in her removal from power.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of permitting fatal actions to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom were killed during the turmoil in the previous year.

The trial proceeded in absentia 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 hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted all charges, labeling the proceedings as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and injured had called for tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, the former leader stated the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was satisfied of her administration's performance on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under increased safeguards before the ruling on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a notable rise in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the authorities' representative informed media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 started with requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader authenticated by media examinations during the current year suggested she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Before the decision, kin of those killed during the protests told press outlets they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

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

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

Since Hasina's ousting, an caretaker administration headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the ballot.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her return but so far India has shown no willingness to comply.

The legal representative assigned to her her legal counsel said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my clients are absent; that's why I am sad," he stated further.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

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

Although the punishment grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The anger against the former leader and the her political party has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this state."

The activist added that the penalty was not closure for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We support multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They will never be able to forgive her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a standard element of the country's governance system again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.