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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over her crackdown on youth demonstrations which caused her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted all charges, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had called for severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her leadership's history on human rights.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under increased safeguards prior to the ruling on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and cheering as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in disturbances, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

One explosive incident was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative informed press agencies.

The student-led uprising during 2024 began with requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

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

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader confirmed by external reviews in previous months indicated she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, kin of those killed during the protests stated to news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and abused their power".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

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

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, the former ruling party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

She alerted last month that if the party's candidates were barred from participating in the forthcoming vote, countless would abstain the vote.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I even cannot appeal because my clients are absent; for that reason I am disappointed," he added.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial alongside her ex-interior minister and top law enforcement officer.

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 the former leader and the her political party has not diminished," a human rights advocate from the capital told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this country."

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

"We assist several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive 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 normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Hasina and the former hierarchy," he expressed.