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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity stemming from her harsh response on youth demonstrations which led to her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, among whom around 1,400 people died during the unrest during 2024.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had demanded severe punishments.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, Hasina said the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I do not fear to meet my challengers in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under enhanced protection before the decision on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and cheering as the sentence was declared.

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

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer Jisanul Haque told news organizations.

The youth-driven revolt last year began with demands to abolish public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could constitute "violations of human dignity".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader authenticated by media examinations during the current year indicated she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those killed during the protests told press outlets they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

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

"Exclusively thereafter the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their minds."

Following her removal, an caretaker administration under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Hasina's political party, Hasina's political party, was banned by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

She alerted during the past month that if the her faction's nominees were barred from participating in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the vote.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her repatriation but until now India has expressed no readiness to comply.

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

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; that's why I am sad," he added.

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina alongside her ex-interior minister and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at the former leader and the her political party has not decreased," a human rights advocate from the capital informed news organizations. "Both she and the organization has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

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

The activist added that the punishment was not resolution for the relatives of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

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