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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for atrocities stemming from 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, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the turmoil in the previous year.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied the entire case, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had called for strict sentences.

Responding to the decision in a five-page statement, Hasina said the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was proud of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a just legal forum where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security prior to the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and cheering as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a notable rise in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt last year began with demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "violations of human dignity".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by investigative sources earlier this year indicated she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, kin of those killed during the protests stated to media representatives they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" 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 Hasina's sentence to be "executed before the election".

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

Following her removal, an interim government under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the election.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but to date India has shown no willingness to comply.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; which is why I am sad," he stated further.

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and security forces head.

While the sentence offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The anger against the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told media outlets. "The leader and her faction has said sorry or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "It makes it difficult for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this country."

The campaigner further stated that the punishment was not closure for the kin of those killed and injured.

"We assist multiple individuals who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a standard element of the nation's political landscape again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he expressed.