Bangladesh is in the midst of a political crisis as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned from her post and fled the country following weeks of deadly protests demanding her ouster. The 76-year-old leader, who has ruled since 2009, departed Dhaka on a military aircraft accompanied by her sister, Sheikh Rehana, and landed in India.
The dramatic turn of events comes after a brutal day of unrest on Sunday that left nearly 100 people dead in clashes between security forces and protesters. Footage from Bangladesh’s Channel 24 showed jubilant crowds storming Hasina’s official residence, the Ganabhaban, in the capital, overturning furniture and smashing glass panels.
The protests, which began last month over demands to reform a civil service job quota system, have spiraled into some of the worst unrest of Hasina’s tenure. The quota system, which reserved up to 30% of government jobs for families of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence, was deemed discriminatory by mainly student protesters who accused it of benefiting Hasina’s supporters disproportionately.
Despite the Supreme Court’s intervention to reduce the veterans’ quota to 5%, with 93% allocated on merit and the remaining 2% for ethnic minorities, transgender individuals, and disabled people, the unrest persisted and grew in scale. The situation turned violent on July 16, with clashes between student protesters, security forces, and pro-government activists. The government responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and imposed a curfew with a shoot-on-sight order, while cutting off internet and mobile data access.
As the protests escalated, Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, urged the security forces to block any takeover from her rule, saying “Your duty is to keep our people safe and our country safe and to uphold the constitution.” However, it appears the military has taken a different stance, with army chief General Waker-Us-Zaman announcing the formation of an interim government.
According to reports, Hasina’s security team advised her to leave, and she did not have time to prepare. Flight Radar data showed a Bangladesh Air Force Lockheed C-130J Hercules aircraft flying over India, bypassing West Bengal and heading towards an undisclosed location.
The protests have united students, artists, and civil rights activists in their demands for change, with the overall death toll now surpassing 300, and nearly 1,500 injured. The government’s official figures remain significantly lower, highlighting the contentious nature of the crisis.
Bangladesh’s economy, once among the world’s fastest growing on the back of its booming garments sector, has stagnated in recent years. Inflation hovers around 10% per annum, and dollar reserves are shrinking. Experts attribute the current unrest to stagnant job growth in the private sector, making public sector jobs, with their accompanying regular wage hikes and privileges, very attractive.
As Bangladesh grapples with the implications of Hasina’s resignation and the military’s intervention, the future remains uncertain. The protesters have vowed to continue their campaign until their demands are met, setting the stage for a protracted struggle over the country’s direction. The international community will be closely monitoring the situation, as Bangladesh navigates through this critical juncture in its history.
