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The country's previous leader has been handed capital punishment for crimes against humanity over her severe measures on youth demonstrations which resulted in her forced departure.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom were killed during the disturbances last year.

Legal proceedings were conducted in absentia by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a decisive point for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had demanded strict sentences.

Responding to the decision 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 content of her administration's performance on human rights.

"I am not afraid to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under tightened security ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and applauding as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the police spokesperson informed media outlets.

The protest movement led by students last year started with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but morphed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, unjustified apprehensions and torture.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by media examinations earlier this year suggested she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, family members of those fatally injured in the unrest stated to news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and misused their authority".

Another relative, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

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

Following her removal, an temporary leadership under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Awami League, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

The former leader cautioned in the previous month that if the party's candidates were prohibited from running in the forthcoming vote, millions would boycott the ballot.

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for both nations. Dhaka has formally requested her return but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my clients are absent; which is why I am disheartened," he added.

The previous week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction 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 not significantly ease the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the Awami League has not subsided," a human rights advocate from the capital stated to media outlets. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or shown any remorse for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this nation."

The campaigner further stated that the sentence was not resolution for the families of those killed and injured.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he expressed.