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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been handed capital punishment for human rights violations over her crackdown on youth demonstrations which led to her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom died during the disturbances last year.

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.

Legal authorities charged her of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Families of those killed and harmed had demanded tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security prior to the verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors holding a protest and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, regional security representative the authorities' representative informed media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt last year started with demands to abolish state employment quotas but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader authenticated by external reviews during the current year suggested she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the proceedings.

Before the decision, relatives of those killed during the protests informed news agencies they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

A different family member, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "implemented before the election".

"Solely at that point the families of those killed [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership led by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned in the previous month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the election.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for both nations. Authorities have sought her repatriation but so far India has expressed no readiness to comply.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "disappointed and hoping the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; that's why I am disappointed," he added.

Recently, her legal team said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN raising serious fair trial and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Hasina was tried together with 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 state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not decreased," a Dhaka-based rights activist told press agencies. "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 majority of people in this nation."

The activist added that the penalty was not finality for the relatives of those killed and injured.

"We work with several people who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

An analyst, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a regular participant of Bangladeshi politics again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a distancing from Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he expressed.