A Bangladesh war crimes court has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for her role in a violent crackdown on a student-led uprising last year. The verdict, delivered on Monday, marks a significant legal action against a former leader in Bangladesh's history and comes just months before parliamentary elections scheduled for early February.

The International Crimes Tribunal, located in Dhaka, issued the ruling amid heightened security and in Hasina's absence. She fled to India in August 2024 as protests escalated against her government. The court found her guilty of ordering lethal force against protesters, resulting in numerous deaths during the unrest.

Hasina, 78, received a life sentence for crimes against humanity and a death sentence for the killings. The courtroom erupted in cheers and applause following the announcement of the death penalty. The verdict can be appealed in the Supreme Court, but Hasina's son, Sajeeb Wazed, indicated they would not pursue an appeal unless a democratically elected government was reinstated with the Awami League's participation.

In response to the ruling, Hasina criticized the tribunal, calling it a "rigged" body operated by an unelected government lacking a democratic mandate. She described the verdict as politically motivated, stating, "In their distasteful call for the death penalty, they reveal the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government to remove Bangladesh's last elected prime minister."

The trial revealed evidence of Hasina's direct orders to use force against the uprising, which occurred from July to August 2024. A United Nations report estimated that up to 1,400 people may have died during the protests, marking the worst violence in Bangladesh since its 1971 war of independence.

Hasina's defense team argued that the charges were unfounded and sought her acquittal. Prior to the verdict, Hasina dismissed the tribunal's fairness, claiming a guilty verdict was predetermined. The interim government, however, defended the tribunal's integrity, asserting it operated transparently and without political bias.

Tensions have escalated in Bangladesh leading up to the verdict, with reports of at least 30 bomb explosions and 26 vehicles set ablaze in recent days, although no casualties were reported. The country, home to 170 million people, has been under the control of an interim administration led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus since Hasina's departure.

Despite a relative calm since Hasina's flight, political stability remains elusive. In a recent interview, Hasina warned of rising discontent among her supporters, suggesting that millions of Awami League loyalists might boycott the upcoming elections. Security forces were deployed across Dhaka and other major cities on Monday to maintain order as the tribunal announced its verdict.