How Radicals Unseated Bangladesh PM through Street Power and Violence

The upheaval in South Asia’s second fastest growing economy—Bangladesh—that led to dramatic incidents forcing a 3 term Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down and take refuge in India is not merely a result of economic crisis and lack of space for the Opposition but an attempt by radical and extremists to capture power through street protests and violence. Such instances are rare in South Asia with the exception of Nepal where protests led to abolition of hugely unpopular monarchy. However, the political protests in Nepal were different in character as it did not lead to collapse of law and order as is being currently witnessed in Bangladesh.

While the students who hit the streets of Dhaka had genuine grievances and represented voices who were feeling heat from lack of jobs, corruption and inflation, what followed within hours of Sheikh Hasina’s exit from Bangladesh was anything but civil.

The manner in which Sheikh Hasina was forced to exit has left a big vacuum in terms of governance adversely impacting law and order and secular fabric of Bangladesh that will have ramifications in the region and beyond.

The upheaval in South Asia’s second fastest growing economy—Bangladesh—that led to dramatic incidents forcing a 3 term Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down and take refuge in India is not merely a result of economic crisis and lack of space for the Opposition but an attempt by radical and extremists to capture power through street protests and violence. Such instances are rare in South Asia with the exception of Nepal where protests led to abolition of hugely unpopular monarchy. However, the political protests in Nepal were different in character as it did not lead to collapse of law and order as is being currently witnessed in Bangladesh. Rather the movement mainstreamed the once dreaded Maoists.

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While the students who hit the streets of Dhaka had genuine grievances and represented voices who were feeling heat from lack of jobs, corruption and inflation, what followed within hours of Sheikh Hasina’s exit from Bangladesh was anything but civil. Murals of founding father of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and symbols representing him were destroyed in what appears to be a well-planned strategy to erase edifice of creation of Bangladesh. It became increasingly clear that the anti-liberation and hardline forces have once again come to forefront to target progressive and secular forces of Bangladesh. Indian cultural centre in Dhaka which had helped to nurture local talent was burnt down in one of the bizarre moves.

Even as a Nobel laureate has been appointed as the Chief Adviser of interim government—de-facto PM of Bangladesh—an agenda of political vendetta has been let loose with media, Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League (oldest party of Bangladesh), minority community (mainly Hindus) and progressive figures being systematically targeted. Jamaat-e-Islami (that was opposed to 1971 independence movement) which played a critical role in hijacking student protests is calling the shots targeting the secular character of the country. It is not a matter of surprise that Awami League’s main adversary BNP and an ally of Jamaat-e-Islami is shaping agenda of the administration and influencing appointments in key posts that may have bearing on relations with India.

India has deep interests and stakes in Bangladesh as it had played a critical role in the independence movement in 1971 with Indian soldiers shedding blood for the liberation struggle. Independent Bangladesh faced its biggest setback when in 1975 founding father Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along most of his family members and that led to a period of coups and counter-coups and steady inroads of religious identity against the identity and ethos of creation of Bangladesh. However, with Awami League back in power between 1996-2001 and Jan 2009-July 2024, secular and pluralistic ethos of Bangladesh were protected and safeguarded. So were the rights of minorities. The former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also ensured that anti-India extremists and terrorists were rooted out from Bangladesh territory and bilateral partnership reached new heights across sectors.

The manner in which Sheikh Hasina was forced to exit has left a big vacuum in terms of governance adversely impacting law and order and secular fabric of Bangladesh that will have ramifications in the region and beyond.