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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for atrocities due to her harsh response on protests led by students which resulted in her ousting.

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

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, Hasina said the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was content of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security prior to the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina holding a protest and celebrating as the verdict was read.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in turmoil, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative the authorities' representative told media outlets.

The student-led uprising last year began with demands to abolish government job quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of others, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by external reviews earlier this year suggested she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest told news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "executed before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the kin of victims [in the protests] will obtain solace in their hearts."

Following her removal, an caretaker administration headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the her former political organization, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

She alerted in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were banned from standing in the forthcoming vote, millions would boycott the vote.

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her return but to date India has expressed no readiness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "sad [and wishes] the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disheartened," he continued.

Recently, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising serious fair trial and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not diminished," a human rights advocate from the capital informed news organizations. "Both she and the organization has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this country."

The advocate continued that the punishment was not closure for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They will never be able to forgive her."

A journalist, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he said.