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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for atrocities over her severe measures on student-led protests which resulted in her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted in absentia by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted all charges, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Next of kin of victims and wounded had demanded strict sentences.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, Hasina said the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was content of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to meet my challengers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection prior to the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and applauding as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in turmoil, with numerous incendiary devices set off 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 no victims identified, regional security representative the authorities' representative informed news organizations.

The protest movement led by students last year began with requests to remove government job quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by investigative sources earlier this year implied she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the trial.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations informed news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A national vote is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the ballot.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for both nations. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

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

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; that's why I am disappointed," he continued.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

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

While the sentence offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to press agencies. "Neither she nor the party has said sorry or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this state."

The activist added that the punishment was not resolution for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We work with multiple individuals who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he expressed.