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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over her harsh response on youth demonstrations which caused her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom were killed during the disturbances last year.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of numerous deaths during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and injured had demanded severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, she expressed the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was satisfied of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection prior to the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and applauding as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a notable rise in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and public transport vehicles burned in the period preceding the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year began with calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by media examinations in previous months implied she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, family members of those who died in the demonstrations informed media representatives they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for Hasina and others who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their souls."

Following her removal, an interim government under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Hasina's political party, Hasina's political party, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the vote.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her return but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer 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 disappointed," he added.

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina alongside her former home minister and police chief.

While the sentence offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The advocate declared "It makes it difficult for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this state."

The campaigner further stated that the sentence was not closure for the families of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We support several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a distancing from the former leader and the former hierarchy," he stated.