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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity over her harsh response on youth demonstrations which caused her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals were killed during the disturbances during 2024.

Hasina was tried in absentia by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and injured had called for severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, the former leader stated the execution sentence 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 meet my challengers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security ahead of the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and applauding as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a recent spike in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official the authorities' representative informed press agencies.

The student-led uprising in the previous year began with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those who died in the demonstrations informed media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

A family representative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for Hasina and others who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and abused their power".

Another relative, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will obtain solace in their hearts."

After her departure, an caretaker administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is set for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, Hasina's political party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the forthcoming vote, numerous would avoid the election.

The verdict now poses a foreign relations issue for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her extradition but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

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

"I cannot even contest because my defendants are not present; which is why I am disappointed," he continued.

Last week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial alongside her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

Even though the verdict grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against the former leader and the her political party has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to press agencies. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this nation."

The activist added that the punishment was not resolution for the relatives of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We work with several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are amputees now, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a standard element of the country's governance system again.

This could alter if "a form of contrition emerges and a disassociation with Hasina and the old leadership," he expressed.