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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been handed capital punishment for human rights violations over her harsh response on youth demonstrations which resulted in her forced departure.

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

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted all charges, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had requested tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was content of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection prior to the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and cheering as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, local police official the authorities' representative informed press agencies.

The protest movement led by students during 2024 commenced through calls to eliminate state employment quotas but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of further participants, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader verified by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those killed during the protests stated to press outlets they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their minds."

Following her removal, an interim government headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the election.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

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

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

Recently, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

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

While the sentence offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The anger against Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka stated to media outlets. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or displayed repentance for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The advocate declared "This creates challenges for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this state."

The activist added that the penalty was not resolution for the relatives of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a regular participant of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.