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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity stemming from her harsh response on youth demonstrations which resulted in her removal from power.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the unrest last year.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had demanded tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, the former leader stated the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was proud of her administration's performance on civil liberties.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

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

The capital witnessed a notable rise in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the police spokesperson stated to news organizations.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year began with calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of further participants, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader confirmed by external reviews during the current year suggested she had authorized the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, family members of those fatally injured in the unrest told press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

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

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

After her departure, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

She alerted in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were barred from participating in the forthcoming vote, numerous would avoid the ballot.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her repatriation but to date India has shown no willingness to agree.

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

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am sad," he continued.

Recently, the defense attorneys 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 former home minister and police chief.

Even though the verdict grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not subsided," 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."

She said "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this country."

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

"We work with numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

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