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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity stemming from her severe measures on student-led protests which resulted in her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, among whom around 1,400 people died during the turmoil in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had requested strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, the former leader stated the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection prior to the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina holding a protest and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a sudden increase in turmoil, with multiple explosives detonated 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, local police official the police spokesperson stated to press agencies.

The protest movement led by students in the previous year started with requests to remove government job quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "violations of human dignity".

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

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader verified by external reviews during the current year indicated she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those killed during the protests informed media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

Another relative, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their souls."

Following her removal, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is set 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 her faction's nominees were banned from standing in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the vote.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but to date India has expressed no readiness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am disappointed," he continued.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her former home minister and police chief.

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 fury directed at Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to press agencies. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The advocate declared "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this country."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not resolution for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We work with numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

This could alter if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from the former leader and the former hierarchy," he stated.