On the afternoon of August 5th, televisions in Bangladesh broadcast images of a helicopter rising from the residence of Sheikh Hasina, the country’s prime minister until minutes before. The chopper was carrying her and her sister “to safety”. Shortly afterwards images appeared of gleeful protesters entering the prime minister’s residence, lounging in her bed and making off with pets and furniture. Others were filmed dancing in the streets of Dhaka. In an address to the nation, General Waker-uz-Zaman, the army chief, confirmed that Sheikh Hasina had resigned and said he would form an interim government. One of the world’s wiliest autocrats, and its longest-serving female head of government, she had been summarily dispatched by angry citizens. “She is a blood-sucker, a monster for us, for the young people,” said a protester. “She destroyed Bangladesh.”
Started from students, then a mass of citizens, who eventually pushed back and managed to actually kick her out.
Hopefully democracy can resume again. I’m glad Bangladesh is a tiger economy and has grown so insanely fast, but she became exactly what she fought to remove.
For now it seems the military took over. They say ‘temporarily’, but they always say that… it might, as well, be just a change of the dictator. Let’s hope it is not the case, this time.
Yes. I have no actual special insight on the situation. Given the recent democracy it doesn’t sound impossible it could return, ooor it could be junta time.