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The country's previous leader has been sentenced to death for human rights violations over her crackdown on student-led protests which caused her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, among whom around 1,400 people lost their lives during the turmoil during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and injured had requested strict sentences.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, the former leader stated the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security before the verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a recent spike in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the police spokesperson stated to news organizations.

The student-led uprising during 2024 started with demands to abolish government job quotas but morphed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader verified by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations stated to media representatives they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and abused their power".

Another relative, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their minds."

Following her removal, an caretaker administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

She alerted last month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the ballot.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her repatriation but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am sad," he added.

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Hasina was tried together with her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital stated to news organizations. "The leader and her faction has apologised or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "It makes it difficult for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this nation."

The activist added that the penalty was not closure for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We work with multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, due to the crackdown. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction 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 previous administration," he said.