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The country's previous leader has been handed capital punishment for atrocities stemming from her severe measures on student-led protests which caused her ousting.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom died during the disturbances last year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted all charges, calling the trial as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

This judgment represents a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had demanded severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, Hasina said the execution sentence was the temporary leadership's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was content of her administration's performance on individual freedoms.

"I have no trepidation to face my accusers in a just legal forum where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under enhanced protection prior to the decision on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and applauding as the verdict was read.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative told media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt last year began with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina authenticated by investigative sources in previous months implied she had authorized the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

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

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" 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 relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their minds."

Following her removal, an interim government under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A general election is planned for February 2026.

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

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the vote.

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for both nations. Authorities have sought her repatriation but to date India has expressed no readiness to agree.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

"I even cannot appeal because my clients are absent; for that reason I am sad," he stated further.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her ex-interior minister and security forces head.

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 fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to news organizations. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the killings of hundreds of people."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this state."

The advocate continued that the sentence was not finality for the relatives of those who died and were wounded.

"We work with several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a disassociation with Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he said.