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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been handed capital punishment for atrocities stemming from her harsh response on protests led by students which caused her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people lost their lives during the unrest last year.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

This judgment represents a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had demanded strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was content of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

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

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection ahead of the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

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

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 began with requests to remove government job quotas but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those killed during the protests told news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" 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 her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their souls."

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government led by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, Hasina's political party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the ballot.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her extradition but so far India has expressed no readiness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer her legal counsel said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am sad," he added.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

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

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka informed media outlets. "The leader and her faction has apologised or displayed repentance for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this state."

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

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he expressed.