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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for human rights violations due to her harsh response on student-led protests which led to her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals lost their lives during the turmoil last year.

Hasina was tried in absentia by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being behind multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted all charges, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security before the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and applauding as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a sudden increase in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the police spokesperson stated to media outlets.

The student-led uprising last year began with requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of others, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by media examinations earlier this year suggested she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those killed during the protests told news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, 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 misused their authority".

Another relative, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "implemented before the election".

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

After her departure, an temporary leadership under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the forthcoming vote, numerous would avoid the election.

This decision presents a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her repatriation but so far India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

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

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he continued.

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

The former leader faced trial alongside her ex-interior minister and security forces head.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the her political party has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has said sorry or displayed repentance for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this country."

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

"We work with numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for the political faction to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from the former leader and the old leadership," he stated.