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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for atrocities stemming from her harsh response on youth demonstrations which resulted in her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, with approximately 1,400 individuals were killed during the turmoil during 2024.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being responsible for hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected the entire case, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, Hasina said the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a notable rise in turmoil, with numerous incendiary devices set off and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative stated to media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year started with demands to abolish state employment quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the intentional injuring of additional individuals, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by external reviews in previous months implied she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest informed media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

A family representative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

After her departure, an temporary leadership headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A national vote is planned for February 2026.

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

The former leader cautioned last month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the vote.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for both nations. The Bangladesh government has asked her return but until now India has expressed no readiness to agree.

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

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; which is why I am sad," he continued.

Last week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her former home minister and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may do little to soothe the nation's partisan rifts.

"The resentment towards the former leader and the the former ruling faction has not decreased," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told press agencies. "Both she and the organization has apologised or shown any remorse for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "It makes it difficult for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this nation."

The activist added that the sentence was not closure for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We support several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for the political faction to become a standard element of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a disassociation with Hasina and the previous administration," he said.