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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for atrocities due to her severe measures on protests led by students which led to her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the turmoil last year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and harmed had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a detailed document, 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 administration's performance on human rights.

"I have no trepidation to meet my challengers in a proper tribunal where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security prior to the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina holding a protest and celebrating as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a notable rise in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson informed press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 began with calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of others, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina authenticated by investigative sources in previous months indicated she had sanctioned the use of "fatal instruments" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Before the decision, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest informed news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

Lucky Akther, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will find peace in their souls."

After her departure, an interim government headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, Hasina's political party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

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

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her return but so far India has expressed no readiness to comply.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am sad," he stated further.

Recently, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial together with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at 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 displayed repentance for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The advocate declared "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a majority of people in this state."

The activist added that the penalty was not resolution for the relatives of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We assist numerous persons who lost their limbs forever, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from the former leader and the former hierarchy," he said.