FORTY days after Sheikh Hasina Wajed fled Dhaka, Bangladesh is slowly recovering from the after-effects of her government’s violent crackdown on the students-led protests, that reportedly cost over 1,000 lives. The intellectual community worldwide is curious to understand why Hasina, who cultivated her image as the ‘iron lady’, lost her grip on power so rapidly, as well as the nature of the change in Bangladesh. Since 2009, Hasina ruled Bangladesh like an autocrat, crushing all opposition ruthlessly. She also built a cult around the figure of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Her ouster pacified widespread concerns in the country regarding the erosion of multiparty democracy under her and the attempt to impose one-party rule.
It has certainly been a peoples’ moment in Bangladesh, with terms such as ‘Monsoon Revolution’ being used to describe the change. However, it is not clear if this change is permanent and if political stability will return to the country soon. Hasina’s party, the Awami League, has lost considerable ground, but will endeavour to make a comeback, arguing that it represented the country’s secular ethos. Her 15-year rule enabled the party to spread its tentacles to every aspect of national life. Under her, the country saw notable economic development, though this was not inclusive and inequalities sharpened amidst unemployment and inflation.