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The country's previous leader has been given a death sentence for atrocities over her crackdown on youth demonstrations which caused her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the unrest during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had demanded severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, Hasina said the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a electoral entity and that she was content of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and examined justly."

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

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The protest movement led by students last year started with requests to remove government job quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources earlier this year suggested she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those killed during the protests informed press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and abused their power".

A different family member, 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 achieve closure in their souls."

Following her removal, an temporary leadership under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is planned for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Hasina's political party, Hasina's political party, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the ballot.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her extradition but until now India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "disappointed and hoping the decision had been otherwise".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he continued.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

While the sentence offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to press agencies. "Both she and the organization has apologised or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

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

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

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he said.