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The country's previous leader has been handed capital punishment for atrocities stemming from her harsh response on protests led by students which caused her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of authorizing deadly measures to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom were killed during the disturbances last year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled 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, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested tough penalties.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, she expressed the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was proud of her administration's performance on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and applauding as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in disturbances, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned 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 police spokesperson told media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt in the previous year started with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

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

The report documented the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by external reviews earlier this year implied she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the trial.

Before the decision, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations told news agencies they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

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

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted the former leader's punishment to be "carried out before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

After her departure, an temporary leadership headed by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

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

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

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her return but to date India has shown no willingness to comply.

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 clients are absent; that's why I am disheartened," he continued.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and due process issues at the ICT.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

Even though the verdict provides certain resolution to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the nation's partisan rifts.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "It makes it difficult for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this nation."

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

"We assist several people who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a disassociation with the former leader and the previous administration," he expressed.