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

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the turmoil during 2024.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested tough penalties.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, Hasina said the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was proud of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection ahead of the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and celebrating as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the authorities' representative told media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year started with requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader confirmed by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those fatally injured in the unrest told press outlets they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

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

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the election.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for both nations. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but so far India has shown no willingness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; which is why I am sad," he continued.

The previous week, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told press agencies. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the deaths of numerous individuals."

She said "It makes it difficult for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this state."

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

"We work with several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he stated.