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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for human rights violations due to her crackdown on student-led protests which caused her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people lost their lives during the turmoil in the previous year.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "biased and politically motivated".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, Hasina said the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was proud of her leadership's history on human rights.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security before the decision on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and cheering as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, local police official the police spokesperson informed press agencies.

The student-led uprising during 2024 commenced through requests to remove public sector reservation policies but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The report documented the gunfire from minimal distance of certain demonstrators, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources earlier this year suggested she had approved the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those fatally injured in the unrest told news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded 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 husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

After her departure, an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the party's candidates were barred from participating in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the election.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he added.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial together with her former home minister and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told press agencies. "Both she and the organization has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "It makes it difficult 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 kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We support several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

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