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The country's previous leader has been sentenced to death for atrocities stemming from her harsh response on student-led protests which caused her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the disturbances during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The verdict marks a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the capital punishment was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was proud of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I have no trepidation to face my accusers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under increased safeguards before the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and applauding as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative informed media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt last year started with requests to remove state employment quotas but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could constitute "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Leaked audio of a call made by the former leader confirmed by media examinations in previous months suggested she had approved the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the proceedings.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations stated to media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

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

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

Since Hasina's ousting, an caretaker administration led by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the her former political organization, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were banned from standing in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the election.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the outcome had varied".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am disheartened," he stated further.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her former home minister and security forces head.

While the sentence offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the her political party has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed press agencies. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this nation."

The advocate continued that the punishment was not finality for the kin of those killed and injured.

"We work with numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They will never be able to forgive her."

David Bergman, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for the political faction to become a standard element of the country's governance system again.

This could alter if "an expression of regret occurs and a disassociation with the former leader and the old leadership," he expressed.