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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for human rights violations over her severe measures on student-led protests which caused her ousting.

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

Hasina was tried without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had called for severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to face my accusers in a fair court where the facts can be assessed and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security ahead of the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a recent spike in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and public transport vehicles burned in the time before the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative Jisanul Haque told news organizations.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 commenced through requests to remove government job quotas but morphed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of further participants, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by investigative sources earlier this year suggested she had approved the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to press outlets they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

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

Following her removal, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is set for February 2026.

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

The former leader cautioned last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the election.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her return but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to agree.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; which is why I am sad," he stated further.

The previous week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment 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 Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to media outlets. "The leader and her faction has apologised or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a majority of people in this nation."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not resolution for the families of those killed and injured.

"We support numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a regular participant of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Hasina and the former hierarchy," he expressed.