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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity due to her crackdown on youth demonstrations which led to her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of authorizing deadly measures to be used against demonstrators, among whom around 1,400 people died during the disturbances last year.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected the entire case, labeling the proceedings as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, 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 content of her government's record on human rights.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection before the decision on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and cheering as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a recent spike in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, local police official the police spokesperson told press agencies.

The student-led uprising last year began with requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "violations of human dignity".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the deliberate maiming of further participants, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader verified by investigative sources during the current year suggested she had approved the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest told media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

Another relative, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the kin of victims [in the protests] will obtain solace in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

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

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were banned from standing in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the election.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested 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 verdict had been different".

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; which is why I am disheartened," he stated further.

Last week, 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.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her former home minister and security forces head.

Even though the verdict offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital informed press agencies. "Neither she nor the party 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 country."

The advocate continued that the sentence was not closure for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We support several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from the former leader and the previous administration," he said.