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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for atrocities over her crackdown on youth demonstrations which resulted in her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the unrest last year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. Hasina has denied the entire case, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had demanded severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, Hasina said the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security before the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative stated to news organizations.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year began with requests to remove government job quotas but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader authenticated by media examinations during the current year implied she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations informed 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".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

After her departure, an caretaker administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the her former political organization, her political faction, was banned by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

Hasina warned during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were barred from participating in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the ballot.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for both nations. Authorities have sought her repatriation but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

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

The previous week, her legal team said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial 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 do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the Awami League has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this country."

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

"We assist numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he stated.