7-8-2024 (DHAKA) Long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule came to an abrupt end as she fled the country amid escalating protests and violence. The sudden collapse of her government has laid bare the complex interplay of military influence and popular dissent in the South Asian nation.
The pivotal moment came on the eve of Hasina’s departure when General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the country’s army chief, convened a crucial meeting with his top brass. In a decision that would prove fateful for Hasina’s reign, the military leadership resolved not to use force against civilians to enforce a nationwide curfew. This stance was promptly communicated to the Prime Minister’s office, signalling a seismic shift in the power dynamics that had long underpinned her rule.
The curfew had been imposed following a day of unprecedented violence that saw at least 91 people killed and hundreds injured in clashes across the country. These deadly confrontations marked the culmination of months of student-led protests that had steadily gained momentum since July, challenging Hasina’s increasingly authoritarian grip on power.
Visuals from the Bangladesh’s Dhaka Shahjalal International Airport (VGHS) after PM Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post leading to violence in the country.#airport #crisis pic.twitter.com/kpcEMZE5Hh
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General Zaman’s decision to withhold military support from Hasina’s government was influenced by growing unease within the ranks. Retired Brigadier General M. Sakhawat Hossain noted, “There was a lot of uneasiness within the troops. That is what probably put pressure on the chief of army staff, because the troops are out and they are seeing what is happening.”
The military’s reluctance to forcefully suppress the demonstrations left Hasina in an untenable position. On Monday, as tens of thousands of protesters defied the curfew and marched towards the heart of Dhaka, the 76-year-old leader made the fateful decision to flee the country.
In a hastily arranged departure, Hasina and her sister boarded a Bangladesh Air Force C130 transport aircraft bound for India. The decision to seek refuge in the neighbouring country underscored the deep ties Hasina had cultivated with India’s political elite over decades, dating back to her years in exile following her father’s assassination in 1975.
However, Hasina’s departure has not quelled the underlying tensions that sparked the protests. The demonstrations, initially triggered by a controversial court ruling on government job reservations, had evolved into a broader movement calling for political reform and the ousting of Hasina’s government.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, whom protesters have championed as a potential leader of an interim government, has criticised India’s support for Hasina, urging a reconsideration of their foreign policy stance.
