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The country's previous leader has been handed capital punishment for atrocities over her severe measures on student-led protests which resulted in her ousting.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against demonstrators, 1,400 of whom lost their lives during the turmoil last year.

Legal proceedings were conducted in absentia by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of hundreds of killings during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had requested severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a detailed document, the former leader stated the death penalty was the caretaker administration's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a electoral entity and that she was satisfied of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I do not fear to meet my challengers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under enhanced protection prior to the verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors staging a rally and applauding as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in turmoil, with dozens of bombs exploded and public transport vehicles burned in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson told news organizations.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 commenced through calls to eliminate government job quotas but transformed into a more extensive dissent initiative.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the purposeful disabling of additional individuals, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by investigative sources during the current year implied she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Ahead of the verdict, kin of those killed during the protests told press outlets they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for the former leader and associates who have "performed revengeful deeds and misused their authority".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an caretaker administration led by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is planned for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the Awami League, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the election.

This decision presents a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her extradition but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer her legal counsel said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; which is why I am disappointed," he continued.

Last week, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina together with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

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

"The fury directed at the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka told media outlets. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This creates challenges for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this country."

The activist added that the sentence was not resolution for the families of those killed and injured.

"We support several people who lost their limbs forever, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from the former leader and the old leadership," he said.