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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been handed capital punishment for atrocities stemming from her harsh response on student-led protests which led to her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom were killed during the disturbances last year.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being responsible for multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied the entire case, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The verdict marks a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Next of kin of victims and wounded had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, Hasina said the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was proud of her leadership's history on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to meet my challengers in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection prior to the ruling on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and celebrating as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a recent spike in unrest, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official the authorities' representative stated to media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt last year started with calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

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

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of further participants, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by external reviews earlier this year indicated she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "performed revengeful deeds and abused their power".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "implemented before the election".

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

Since Hasina's ousting, an caretaker administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned last month that if the the League's representatives were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the election.

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her return but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; which is why I am disheartened," he continued.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may not significantly ease the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed press agencies. "The leader and her faction has said sorry or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this state."

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

"We work with several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

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