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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over her crackdown on youth demonstrations which led to her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom died during the turmoil last year.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

This judgment represents a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had called for severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, the former leader stated the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her administration's performance on civil liberties.

"I have no trepidation to meet my challengers in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under enhanced protection prior to the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and celebrating as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a notable rise in unrest, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative the authorities' representative stated to press agencies.

The student-led uprising last year began with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but transformed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of further participants, unwarranted detentions and abuse.

Leaked audio of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by external reviews in previous months indicated she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the trial.

Before the decision, kin of those who died in the demonstrations informed media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

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

After her departure, an caretaker administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, the former ruling party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the party's candidates were barred from participating in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the election.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition but to date India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am sad," he stated further.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and police chief.

Although the punishment offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the Awami League has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed media outlets. "Both she and the organization has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the deaths of numerous individuals."

She said "This creates challenges for the faction to gain approval by a majority of people in this state."

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

"We work with numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for her party to become a regular participant of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from the former leader and the previous administration," he said.