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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity stemming from her severe measures on youth demonstrations which resulted in her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks 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 comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was content of her administration's performance on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to face my accusers in a proper tribunal 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 decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative told press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year started with demands to abolish state employment quotas but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of further participants, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader confirmed by external reviews during the current year implied she had sanctioned the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations stated to news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

Another relative, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "executed before the election".

"Solely at that point the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

Following her removal, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the election.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her return but to date 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 am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disheartened," he added.

Recently, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her ex-interior minister and police chief.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a human rights advocate from the capital told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "It makes it difficult for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this state."

The advocate continued that the sentence was not resolution for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We work with multiple individuals who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it particularly hard" for her party to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "an expression of regret occurs and a disassociation with Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.