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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity stemming from her crackdown on protests led by students which caused her removal from power.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the turmoil during 2024.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being responsible for multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, describing the process as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

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

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, she expressed the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body 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 tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under enhanced protection ahead of the ruling on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and cheering as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a notable rise in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative the authorities' representative stated to press agencies.

The student-led uprising during 2024 began with demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by external reviews earlier this year implied she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the trial.

Ahead of the verdict, kin of those who died in the demonstrations told media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

Another relative, 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 families of those killed [in the protests] will obtain solace in their hearts."

After her departure, an caretaker administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the vote.

This decision presents a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but so far India has expressed no readiness to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her her legal counsel said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; which is why I am disappointed," he stated further.

Recently, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

Even though the verdict provides certain resolution to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told news organizations. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this nation."

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

"We work with multiple individuals who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for the political faction to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "a form of contrition emerges and a disassociation with Hasina and the previous administration," he expressed.