Bangladesh’s prime minister has resigned and fled the country, marking an end to her 15 years in power after unprecedented protests that left nearly 300 people dead.
Ms Hasina resigned and left for an unknown destination on Monday (5 August) as thousands of protesters stormed her official residence.
Bangladesh, the fourth largest country in the world by population, has been on edge for weeks amid protests that began over a controversial quota system for government jobs. The system guaranteed a set proportion of roles to the descendants of fighters in Bangladesh’s war of independence – seen as a measure to appease Ms Hasina’s political base.
A fresh spell of protests began over the weekend with people demanding Ms Hasina’s resignation, and at least 95 people died across the country on Sunday in the deadliest day of violence since the crisis began, with hundreds of people injured as both police and protesters used live ammunition.
Why are students protesting?
At the heart of the student protests that began in late June was the demand to scrap a quota system that reserved up to 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971 against Pakistan.
The protests began late last month but tensions escalated when students at Dhaka University, the country’s largest, clashed with police and a counter-protest inflamed the situation.
The students alleged the protests were peaceful until the student wing of Ms Hasina’s ruling Awami League party attacked them.
“We were protesting peacefully until we were attacked by the goons. It is our right to continue protesting, it is embedded in the history of this country and we shall continue to do so for our right,” a Dhaka university student who did not want to be named for fear of persecution told The Independent.
Protesters have argued that the quota system was discriminatory and benefitted supporters of Ms Hasina, whose political party led the independence movement. They demanded it be replaced with a merit-based system.
What did the Supreme Court say?
Ms Hasina’s government had halted the job quotas following mass student protests in 2018, but last month a high court ruling nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after relatives of the 1971 veterans filed petitions. Students then began protesting in large numbers, saying the quotas unfairly reduced their chances of securing a much-sought-after government job.
On 21 July, the Supreme Court ordered that 93 per cent of government jobs would be allocated on merit and five per cent would be for veterans who served in the war. The remaining two per cent would be reserved for members of ethnic minorities and transgender and disabled people.
The decision was a partial win for the students after representatives from both sides met late on 19 July to discuss a resolution.
The court order initially saw protests paused, but students then demanded an apology from the government for its handling of the crisis and justice for the 200 people who had already died by that point. Thousands of student protest organisers were also detained, and some have alleged they were tortured.
Why did Hasina resign?
The student protests have shone a spotlight on the cracks in Bangladesh‘s governance and economy as well as the frustrations of the country’s youth at rising unemployment where some 32 million young people are not in work or education.
Anger soon turned from demands over jobs to outrage at the way the protests were treated, with Ms Hasina referring to the protesters as “terrorists” and ordering police to shoot at them on sight.
“We have to look out for ourselves and our future generations. We need jobs in this country, we are already suffering from the lack of it,” said Alam Rashid, a student from Dhaka. “We have invited the government to have a conversation with us multiple times, instead she [Sheikh Hasina] just unleashed her police force on us,” he told The Independent.
During the weekend, there were reports of attacks across the country, including incidents of vandalism and arson targeting government buildings, offices of the ruling Awami League party, police stations and houses of public representatives. Clashes were reported in as many as 39 of the country’s 64 districts.
Sunday ended up being the deadliest day of clashes yet, with at least 95 killed including both protesters and police officers.
Student coordinators of Dhaka University called for Monday to be marked by a “March to Dhaka”, calling it the “final answer” after the military said students defying a government curfew would face the “full force of the law”.
“The government has killed many students. The time has come for the final answer,” protest coordinator Asif Mahmud said in a statement on Facebook late on Sunday.
“Everyone will come to Dhaka, especially from the surrounding districts. Come to Dhaka and take a position on the streets.”
What’s next for Bangladesh?
Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced in a televised address to the nation that an interim government would be formed.
He said he was assuming control at “a critical time for our country” and urged people to trust him.
“I am taking responsibility now and we will go to the president and ask to form an interim government to lead the country in the meantime.”
It was not clear if the army would play a role, but General Zaman said: “We will now go to the president of the country, where we will discuss about the formation of the interim government, form the interim government, and manage the nation.”
There are also fears of violence on the India-Bangladesh border where security has been tightening, according to media reports. An Indian Railways spokesperson said all trains to the country would be suspended temporarily.
It is following reports that Ms Hasina has flown to India, seeking exile in the neighbouring country with which Dhaka has maintained close ties since its formation.
India shares an over 4000 km long with Bangladesh.
It is not known yet whether student protesters will discontinue their protest and what role they will play in the formation of the new interim government.