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The country's previous leader has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity over her harsh response on student-led protests which led to her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest in the previous year.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and wounded had demanded tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, she expressed 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 administration's performance on individual freedoms.

"I have no trepidation to meet my challengers in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection ahead of the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and applauding as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt last year commenced through calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the purposeful disabling of others, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader authenticated by media examinations during the current year implied she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, kin of those who died in the demonstrations stated to media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

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

"Only then the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their souls."

After her departure, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is planned for February 2026.

However, the her former political organization, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the party's candidates were prohibited from running in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the ballot.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but until now India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; that's why I am sad," he added.

The previous week, her legal team said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Hasina was tried together with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the nation's partisan rifts.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to press agencies. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

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

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

"We work with numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a disassociation with Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.