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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for atrocities over her harsh response on protests led by students which resulted in her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people died during the unrest during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

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

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had requested severe punishments.

Answering the judgment 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 government's record on individual freedoms.

"I have no trepidation to face my accusers in a just legal forum where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security ahead of the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina holding a protest and celebrating as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 began with requests to remove government job quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators 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 some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina authenticated by investigative sources in previous months suggested she had sanctioned the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

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

A family representative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

Another relative, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "executed before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

After her departure, an interim government under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned during the past month that if the party's candidates were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the election.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but to date India has shown no willingness to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer her legal counsel said he was "disappointed and hoping the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; which is why I am disappointed," he stated further.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial together with her former home minister and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the Awami League has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed media outlets. "Both she and the organization has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

The advocate declared "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this nation."

The activist added that the penalty was not resolution for the families of those killed and injured.

"We work with multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a standard element of the country's governance system again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with the former leader and the former hierarchy," he stated.