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The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been handed capital punishment for human rights violations stemming from her severe measures on student-led protests which led to her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom were killed during the turmoil during 2024.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind numerous deaths 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 unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and wounded had called for strict sentences.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, she expressed the execution sentence was the caretaker administration's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was content of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the facts can be assessed and examined justly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under enhanced protection ahead of the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and applauding as the judgment was announced.

The city has seen a sudden increase in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and public transport vehicles burned in the days leading up to the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the police spokesperson informed news organizations.

The student-led uprising last year commenced through calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "violations of human dignity".

The report documented the gunfire from minimal distance of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader confirmed by investigative sources earlier this year implied she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Ahead of the verdict, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations informed news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

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

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

After her departure, an caretaker administration headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the vote.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for both nations. Authorities have sought her extradition but to date India has shown no willingness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I even cannot appeal because my clients are absent; which is why I am disappointed," he continued.

Recently, the defense attorneys said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN raising serious fair trial and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

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

While the sentence offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at the former leader and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to media outlets. "Both she and the organization has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The advocate declared "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this country."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not resolution for the families of those killed and injured.

"We assist several people who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it particularly hard" for her party to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a distancing from Hasina and the previous administration," he stated.