Bangladesh plunged into turmoil as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on Monday amidst a wave of protests. Demonstrators, defying a military-imposed curfew, stormed her official residence in Dhaka, escalating the opposition sparked by her administration’s controversial public job quota system.
Bangladeshi nationals living in Kolkata, West Bengal, are celebrating the news that Sheikh Hasina has fled to India from Bangladesh. They are calling for Bengali students to replicate the protests that occurred in Bangladesh if Sheikh Hasina seeks refuge in West Bengal.
This is… pic.twitter.com/OGfWO8ulPh
— Bloody Media (@bloody_media) August 5, 2024
The protests, primarily led by students, began last month against the quota system established in 1972. This system reserved up to 30% of government jobs for the families of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan. Over time, young Bangladeshis grew increasingly dissatisfied, arguing the system disproportionately benefited Hasina’s Awami League party, which led the independence movement. Additionally, 26% of jobs were reserved for applicants from disadvantaged districts, women, minority groups, and the disabled. Last month, the Supreme Court dismantled this system, reducing the freedom fighter quota to 5% and opening 93% of government jobs to all applicants, with the remaining 2% reserved for ethnic minorities, transgender people, and people with disabilities. Despite these changes, the protests continued, fueled by anger over the government’s violent crackdowns, which resulted in hundreds of deaths.
Hasina’s sudden departure has left the nation in a state of uncertainty. Local media aired footage of Hasina and her sister Rehana escaping Dhaka via a military helicopter, with reports suggesting she is headed to Tripura, India. The Indian government has yet to comment on her arrival.
Bangladeshi PM sheikh hasina flees to india. Protestora storm the PM residence.#Bangladesh #Struggle pic.twitter.com/yNrNGKM8eo
— Anuruddha Bandara (@anuruddha_lka) August 5, 2024
In a televised address, Bangladesh’s military chief Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman called for calm and assured the public that all killings would be investigated and those responsible would be punished. He promised that neither the army nor the police would resort to firing. Zaman also announced his intention to seek the president’s counsel on forming an interim government to stabilize the situation.
The situation intensified as protestors, upon learning of Hasina’s flight, stormed her residence and reportedly dismantled a statue of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the revered leader of Bangladesh’s independence.
PM Sheikh Hasina ousted, flees Bangladesh. Army takes over, names an interim govt minus the Awami League.
Celebrations/chaos on the streets + the PM’s official residence.
How did it come to this? What next for Dhaka? What does this mean for India? Watch Vantage tonight @firstpost pic.twitter.com/ph1qDpcm68— Palki Sharma (@palkisu) August 5, 2024
The unrest has not only rocked Bangladesh but has also put the spotlight on Hasina’s close ties with India. In recent years, Hasina had bolstered relations with New Delhi by cracking down on anti-India militant groups and facilitating the transit of goods to India’s northeastern states bordering Bangladesh. Her departure marks a significant turning point, leaving a leadership vacuum in a nation already on the brink of chaos.
Major Points
- Prime Minister Flees: Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh as protestors stormed her residence, defying a military curfew.
- Student-Led Protests: Demonstrations erupted against the longstanding quota system in public jobs, which many young Bangladeshis see as unfair.
- Quota System Overhaul: The Supreme Court slashed the quota for freedom fighters’ descendants and opened up most government jobs to all applicants.
- Violent Crackdowns: Government crackdowns on protests led to hundreds of deaths, further fueling public outrage.
- Military Intervention: Military chief Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman promises an investigation into the violence and seeks to form an interim government.
Fallon Jacobson – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
