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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for human rights violations over her harsh response on youth demonstrations which caused her removal from power.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest last year.

Legal proceedings were conducted in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Next of kin of victims and harmed had requested tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a political force and that she was satisfied of her leadership's history on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection before the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and celebrating as the judgment was announced.

Dhaka experienced a recent spike in disturbances, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative Jisanul Haque told media outlets.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 started with demands to abolish government job quotas but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

United Nations rights examiners said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could represent "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the intentional injuring of others, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by external reviews during the current year suggested she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Before the decision, family members of those killed during the protests stated to news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

After her departure, an caretaker administration led by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is planned for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the her former political organization, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the ballot.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for India and Bangladesh. Authorities have sought her extradition but to date India has shown no willingness to acquiesce.

Her officially designated attorney the defense lawyer said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am disheartened," he stated further.

Recently, the defense attorneys said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN raising significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Hasina was tried alongside 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 not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at the former leader and the Awami League has not decreased," a human rights advocate from the capital told press agencies. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or shown any remorse for the deaths of numerous individuals."

She said "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this country."

The campaigner further stated that the penalty was not resolution for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, 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 particularly hard" for Awami League to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a distancing from the former leader and the former hierarchy," he said.