The nation of Bangladesh's Deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed Sentenced to Death

Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for atrocities due to her harsh response on protests led by students which resulted in her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against protesters, among whom around 1,400 people lost their lives during the turmoil in the previous year.

Hasina was tried while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under enhanced protection before the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and cheering as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a notable rise in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned in the period preceding the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative the police spokesperson informed press agencies.

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

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina confirmed by investigative sources during the current year suggested she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those killed during the protests stated to news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, 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 misused their authority".

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

"Only then the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their minds."

Following her removal, an interim government under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

The former leader cautioned last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the vote.

The verdict now poses a international dilemma for the neighboring countries. The Bangladesh government has asked her return but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer her legal counsel said he was "unhappy and desiring the verdict had been different".

"I am unable to challenge because my defendants are not present; for that reason I am disheartened," he continued.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN pointing out significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

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

While the sentence offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the state's ideological splits.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the Awami League has not decreased," a human rights advocate from the capital stated to press agencies. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a bulk of the population in this country."

The advocate continued that the punishment was not closure for the kin of those killed and injured.

"We assist numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are currently without limbs, because of the suppression. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for the political faction to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

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