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The country's previous leader has been sentenced to death for atrocities stemming from her harsh response on youth demonstrations which led to her forced departure.

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

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

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

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had requested tough penalties.

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 political force and that she was proud of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security prior to the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and applauding as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque told media outlets.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year began with demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but transformed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the shooting at point-blank range of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader confirmed by external reviews during the current year implied she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations told media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their minds."

After her departure, an interim government under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the forthcoming vote, numerous would avoid the election.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for both nations. Authorities have sought her repatriation but until now India has shown no willingness to agree.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he continued.

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

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

While the sentence grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may not significantly ease the country's political divisions.

"The anger against the former leader and the her political party has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist told press agencies. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this state."

The advocate continued that the sentence was not resolution for the relatives of those who died and were wounded.

"We support multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive 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 regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from Hasina and the previous administration," he stated.