Last Monday, August 5, Bangladesh’s long standing premier Sheikh Hasina hastily fled the country, rumoured to have been given an ultimatum of just 45 minutes to do so. What led to Hasina’s ousting? Why is Bangladesh’s youth protesting? Could there be an impact on India?
Till 2018, there existed a 30% quota in government jobs, including in the coveted civil service, for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s Liberation War against Pakistan in 1971. Due to pressure from students, Hasina had initially removed this quota, but it was reinstated in June 2024 by the High Court. This raised the overall reservations in government jobs to 56%. Coming at a time of high unemployment and an economy that hasn’t recovered from Covid, the move sparked protests across universities in Bangladesh. In addition, students also felt that the quota disproportionately helped those closer to Hasina’s Awami League party.
Initially, all protests were peaceful. However, after a controversial statement in which Hasina suggested student protestors to be ‘razakars’, a derogatory term used for those who supported the Pakistani military in 1971, tensions rose. Even after the Supreme Court intervened to reduce the quota to just 5%, and the overall reservation to 7%, students continued protesting, demanding Hasina’s resignation.
Hasina cracked down harshly on these protests, giving shoot-at-sight orders to the police. This led to the death of over 250 people, mostly students, in a span of just a few days. Finally, under the combined stress of protests, an underperforming economy, and high unemployment, Hasina resigned and left Bangladesh shortly thereafter. The void left at the top was initially filled by the army, which stated that an interim government would be formed consisting of members of all political parties save the Awami League.
There were concerns about the military taking command, with many drawing similarities to Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s recent crises. However, some of these were put to rest as an interim government consisting of several political parties and youth leaders was constituted, with Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus as the head. The situation has improved. Banks and markets have reopened, and the next few days will determine whether the populace is still irate.
THE INDIA ANGLE
With Sheikh Hasina no longer in power, India has lost a strong ally in Bangladesh. In her 17 year tenure, Hasina had always maintained close ties with India. Due to this, India, unlike the west, had not openly criticised Hasina during the protests. Hasina escaped from Bangladesh to India, where she has been allowed to stay. This has led to some political leaders in Bangladesh viewing India as a foe, and others have pitted the West against New Delhi in their public statements.
India will hope to maintain strong ties with its neighbour and will have to ensure that the populace does not continue to view it merely as a Hasina supporter, but a Bangladesh supporter. Some concerns were quelled after Yunus stated that the interim government will seek to advance Dhaka-Delhi ties and would want to maintain India as a close friend and ally, but the public opinion is yet to unfold.
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