Janice R. Andrews
Local media today stated that Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, had unexpectedly resigned and left the nation. The Prime Minister’s palace was attacked by hundreds of people demanding her resignation, and her spectacular escape happened amid the growing uproar.
Violent clashes and mass protests
Students protesting a contentious government employment quota system started the movement, which has expanded into large-scale rallies calling for government resignation and accountability. Over 200 people died in violent clashes between demonstrators, police, and pro-government groups last month alone as a result of the situation’s rapid escalation.
Images of triumphant crowds visiting the Prime Minister’s official house in the capital city of Dhaka were shown by the Bangladeshi news agency Channel 24. The 76-year-old leader had left her palace for a “safer place” before the storming, according to a source close to Hasina.
Hasina’s Flight and Resignation
Hasina is said to have escaped to India amid the upheaval, however this has not been verified. General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the head of Bangladesh’s army, announced on Monday that Hasina had resigned and that an interim administration would assume power.
Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Hasina’s American-based son, appealed to the nation’s security services on Facebook before to the demonstrators breaking into the enclosure. He asked them to respect the constitution and stop any attempt to overthrow her after 15 years in power.
Response of the Government and Military
Security personnel had mainly backed Hasina’s administration during the disturbances, imposing curfews and employing lethal force against protestors. Protesters disobeyed the laws despite these efforts, fighting with government supporters with sticks and knives as security personnel opened fire. An AFP count indicates that since the protests started in early July, at least 300 people have died as a result of the violence on Sunday.
General Waker reminded officers in an official statement that the armed forces “always stood by the people.” This mood was similar to the military’s proclamation of an emergency in January 2007 in response to protracted political upheaval that resulted in a two-year caretaker administration supported by the military.
Hasina’s Differing Regulation
Since taking office in 2009, Sheikh Hasina has dominated Bangladeshi politics. She won her fourth straight election in January, despite allegations that there was little to no legitimate opposition. Rights organizations have criticized her administration for allegedly abusing state institutions, including as the extrajudicial assassination of opposition activists, in order to consolidate its control and quell dissent.
The reinstatement of a quota system that allocated over half of all government positions to specific groups was the initial cause of the demonstrations. Even after Bangladesh’s highest court reduced the scope of the plan, the demonstrations grew more intense and resulted in widespread civil upheaval.
Symbolic Rejection and Public Outcry
Monday morning, barbed wire was used to block access to Hasina’s office by military personnel and law enforcement officers in armored cars. But huge throng broke through the barriers and filled the streets. A reputable former army general requested that the government remove soldiers and for peaceful rallies to continue, a symbolic jab at Hasina’s leadership.
Ex-army leader General Ikbal Karim Bhuiyan declared on Sunday that “those who are responsible for pushing people of this country to a state of such extreme misery will have to be brought to justice.”
An All-Nation Uprising
Film stars, musicians, and other well-known people in Bangladeshi society have all lent their support to the anti-government campaign. The nation of South Asia, which has a population of over 170 million, has recently seen unprecedented levels of civil turmoil.
A major turning point has been reached with Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and flight, given Bangladesh’s uncertain political future. As the nation works to stabilize and solve the underlying concerns that sparked the large protests, the interim government’s future moves will be keenly observed.
