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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for atrocities over her harsh response on student-led protests which caused her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the turmoil last year.

Hasina was tried in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had demanded tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.

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

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under increased safeguards prior to the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and cheering as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative Jisanul Haque informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt last year started with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

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

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the purposeful disabling of others, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by media examinations in previous months implied she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those killed during the protests stated to media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and abused their power".

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 relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their hearts."

After her departure, an caretaker administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the ballot.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her extradition but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he stated further.

Recently, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN highlighting significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

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

While the sentence grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against the former leader and the her political party has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to press agencies. "Neither she nor the party has said sorry or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This complicates matters for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this nation."

The campaigner further stated that the penalty was not finality for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We work with numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are now disabled, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a distancing from the former leader and the old leadership," he expressed.