On Monday 5th August, the dramatic unfolding of events especially the resignation of PM Hasina Wajid followed by her swift departure to India underscores the winding up of the prolonged rule of Awami League in Bangladesh. Despite claims of economic prosperity during fifteen years long rule, the Awami League led by Hasina Wajid could not stabilize Bangladesh.
Ironically, Hasina Wajid could not get rid of the harmful legacy of her late father Shaikh Mujeeb who along with many close family members was assassinated by a dissenting group of army officers. Hateful legacy revolves around violence and pro-India policies which eventually converted Mukti Bahini into a monster for the Bengali masses. The recent violent public uprising was a clear sign of deep public dissatisfaction against one-and-a-half decade-long oppressive rule.
Unprecedented protests in Bangladesh against the government created strong ripples and eventually brought PM Hasina Wajid to the knees. Protests against unjustified job quotas gradually converted into a larger civil disobedience campaign. Wide-scale protests proved the toughest challenge of Hasina Wajid’s rule spread over fifteen years. Though, the Bangladesh government engaged the protestors in dialogue, however, neither the method was correct nor the timing was correct.
Moreover, the court verdict which abolished the controversial part of the quota could only restore the peace for a very short span of time and later reversal of the remedial scheme proved more provocative. As reported in international media, the second wave of protests was very violent and blood-soaked. More than 93 citizens were dead including 14 police officers only on Sunday the 4th of August.
Recently, Sheikh Hasina Wajid managed to win elections and successfully secured the fourth term as PM. However, these elections could not earn the credibility amid coercive use of force by the ruling party Awami League on political rivals. International and regional human rights bodies accused Hasina Wajid of crushing the opposition with brutal use of state force. The gradual extension of violent protests across Bangladesh can be equally attributed to the whole-hearted involvement of the oppressed public and the extremely autocratic and oppressive regime of the Awami League.
From the outset, the Hasina Wajid government adopted an unwise strategy for dealing with the hard pressing concerns of the common masses on the quota system which was primarily designed to benefit the affiliates of the ruling party. Instead of acknowledging the flaws engraved in the job quota system, the Awami League preferred to demonize the protesters. PM Hasina Wajid took many harsh steps ahead without realizing the consequences and called that the protestors were terrorists striving to destabilize Bangladesh.
During a national security meeting attended by three services chiefs and cabinet members, PM Hasina Wajid appealed to the countrymen to suppress the terrorists. Such provocative statements, casting doubts on the loyalty of oppressed masses, played a key role in fueling public sentiments. Violence during the protests can not be blamed only on the protestors. This was pointed out frequently by authentic reporters that the Bangladesh government had cracked down brutally on the protesting students without having the slightest realization of their pressing miseries and respect for fundamental democratic rights.
The high rate of deaths during the protests speaks volumes about the violent methods of the Awami League regime. Reportedly, over three hundred deaths brought the oppressed Bangladesh to the boiling point. The outbreak of riots and numerous public attacks on police stations including numerous government-run facilities brought Bangladesh into a state of paralysis. The public uprising against the Hasina Wajid government was too large to control for Bangladesh army and law enforcement agencies. More than 90 deaths on Sunday proved the last straw on the back of a kneeling camel.
Dismantling of Hasina Wajid’s government consequent to a sudden outbreak of protests merits analytical review in the context of the prevailing regional environment as well as unrest brewing beneath the surface in Bangladesh. Awami League and Hasina Wajid proved it with their undemocratic violent and prejudiced conduct that the legacy of Shaikh Mujeeb and the infamous Mukti Bahini is still alive. Hasina systematically curbed the dissent and bulldozed the opposition with the illegitimate use of force.
Treason trials and subsequent death sentences for old-aged leaders of Jamaat e Islami (JI) were unanimously questioned and criticized by human rights and legal bodies. It was also reported that Awami League leaders had also been attacking the protestors alongside the police. The revival of Mukti Bahini’s legacy has pushed Bangladesh deeper into the pits of instability.
As per available reports, Hasina Wajid has fled to India after unceremoniously resigning from the office of PM. It is hard to predict that how quickly the interim setup would be able to restore the democratic order in Bangladesh. While hosting a fallen tyrant, India would also be planning manipulative maneuvers to take the new ruling regime of Bangladesh into her fold.
