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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity due to her severe measures on youth demonstrations which caused her removal from power.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, with approximately 1,400 individuals were killed during the turmoil last year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had requested severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a five-page statement, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on human rights.

"I do not fear to meet my challengers in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under increased safeguards ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and public transport vehicles burned in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative the authorities' representative informed news organizations.

The student-led uprising in the previous year commenced through demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

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

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by external reviews in previous months suggested she had approved 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 killed during the protests informed media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and abused their power".

Another relative, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

After her departure, an interim government under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

The former leader cautioned last month that if the her faction's nominees were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the election.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her return but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disheartened," he continued.

The previous week, her legal team said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

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

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

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to press agencies. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or displayed repentance for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this state."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not finality for the families of those killed and injured.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

A journalist, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it particularly hard" for her party to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a distancing from Hasina and the previous administration," he stated.