SATV, Nov. 18 : Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death.

A special tribunal found she was responsible for ordering a violent crackdown on student-led protests last year, during which the UN estimates up to 1,400 people died, most by gunfire from security forces.

Hasina was tried in her absence as she is living in exile in India, where she has been since being forced from power.

The verdict will put India under pressure to extradite Hasina but it is unlikely to do so.

In comments to the BBC last week, Hasina described the trial in her absence as a "kangaroo court".

Security has been ramped up across Bangladesh over fears of a backlash, with some protests already breaking out this morning.