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The country's previous leader has been sentenced to death for atrocities over her crackdown on youth demonstrations which led to her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, among whom around 1,400 people died during the turmoil in the previous year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

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

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and injured had requested strict sentences.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, she expressed the execution sentence was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was content of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection before the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and cheering as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson stated to press agencies.

The student-led uprising during 2024 started with calls to eliminate state employment quotas 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 constitute "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls authenticated by external reviews during the current year indicated she had authorized the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to press outlets they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for her and co-accused who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "executed before the election".

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their souls."

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

Nonetheless, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the vote.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition but to date India has expressed no readiness to comply.

The legal representative assigned to her her legal counsel said he was "sad [and wishes] the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; which is why I am disappointed," he stated further.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her ex-interior minister and police chief.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The anger against Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist told press agencies. "Both she and the organization has apologised or displayed repentance for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this state."

The campaigner further stated that the punishment was not resolution for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We work with several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he said.