In a dramatic turn of events, Bangladesh has witnessed a dramatic shift in power as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country after weeks of mass protests. The protests, initially against a job quota system, escalated into a full-blown movement against Hasina’s 15-year rule, drawing support from the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami.
The situation reached a boiling point on Monday, with a deadly crackdown on protesters by Hasina’s government leading to the deaths of nearly 100 people. Following the military’s siding with the protesters over the weekend, Hasina made a hasty exit, seeking refuge in London after a stopover in India.
The public fury against Hasina’s government was evident in the aftermath of her departure. Protesters, emboldened by their success, stormed the parliament and looted her official residence. They also toppled a statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father, revered as the ‘Father of the Nation’ for his role in Bangladesh’s liberation from Pakistan in 1971.
Footage from Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, shows protesters using an axe to bring down the statue. The scene eerily mirrors the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad after the US-led invasion in 2003. This symbolic act highlights the deep resentment towards Hasina’s rule and the extent to which the protests have shaken the foundations of Bangladesh’s political landscape.
The events in Bangladesh have sent shockwaves across the region and the world. They serve as a stark reminder of the power of public dissent and the fragility of even seemingly entrenched regimes in the face of widespread popular anger.
