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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for atrocities due to her crackdown on youth demonstrations which led to her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the turmoil during 2024.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had demanded severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the temporary leadership's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her administration's performance on civil liberties.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security before the ruling on Monday, with several of her detractors holding a protest and cheering as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a notable rise in turmoil, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official the authorities' representative informed news organizations.

The student-led uprising in the previous year began with calls to eliminate government job quotas but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors said in a report in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of further participants, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by media examinations in previous months suggested she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest informed news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their souls."

Following her removal, an interim government led by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Awami League, Hasina's political party, was banned 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 imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the vote.

This decision presents a international dilemma for both nations. Authorities have sought her extradition but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; that's why I am disheartened," he stated further.

The previous week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and security forces head.

While the sentence grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the Awami League has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to news organizations. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this state."

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

"We assist several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a regular participant of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with the former leader and the former hierarchy," he said.