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The country's previous leader has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity stemming from her crackdown on protests led by students which caused her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the unrest during 2024.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. The former leader rejected the entire case, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Families of those killed and wounded had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, she expressed the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under increased safeguards ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and celebrating as the verdict was read.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque told press agencies.

The student-led uprising in the previous year started with requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by media examinations in previous months implied she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

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

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

Lucky Akther, 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 relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their souls."

After her departure, an temporary leadership under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the her faction's nominees were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the ballot.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "disappointed and hoping the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am disheartened," he stated further.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

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

Although the punishment grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Hasina and the her political party has not subsided," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka informed media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or displayed repentance for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This complicates matters for the organization to receive endorsement 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 work with multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are now disabled, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Hasina and the old leadership," he said.