Sheikh Hasina Resigns, Flees Bangldesh Amid Protests| Army Takes Charge | Bangladesh Coup Explained

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Amid escalating violence and unrest, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and fled the country. She is believed to have landed in India. In the wake of her departure, the army chief, Waker-Uz-Zaman, has announced plans to form an interim government to address the ongoing crisis.

The turmoil that led to Sheikh Hasina's exile began with protests against a controversial quota system. Since the 1971 Liberation War, Bangladesh has granted a 30% quota in civil service and public sector jobs to the descendants of those who participated in the movement to free the country from Pakistan. The quota system was introduced by Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of Hasina, in 1972. However, in October 2018, Hasina agreed to abolish all reservations amid large-scale protests by students. In June this year, the High Court nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after petitions were filed by relatives of 1971 veterans. Following this ruling, 56% of government jobs were reserved for specific groups, including children and grandchildren of freedom fighters as well as women, and people from ‘backward districts’.

This triggered the recent protests, with students asking why the third generation of freedom fighters was being provided benefits, besides demanding a total merit-based recruitment.

The protests, initially focused on the quota issue, quickly expanded into a broader anti-government movement. As the unrest spread, the violence escalated significantly, with atleast 98 people were killed on Sunday due to the violent clashes in the student protests against quota reforms in the country. Sunday's violence took the total number of deaths since the protests began last month to at least 300.

In response to the growing crisis, the government imposed a nationwide curfew and shut down internet services, but these measures failed to contain the unrest. Faced with mounting pressure and a deteriorating situation, Sheikh Hasina has resigned and sought refuge in a "safer place". Hasina has reportedly landed in Agartala, Tirupura.

As the world’s second-largest exporter of ready-made garments (RMG), Bangladesh relies heavily on this industry, which generated 85% of the country’s $55 billion in export earnings in 2022. The sector, employing around 4,000 small and medium enterprises and predominantly rural women, has been instrumental in reducing poverty from 44.2% in 1991 to 5% in 2022.

Garment workers, who joined the protests in October last year, have been demanding better wages and improved working conditions.

As Bangladesh grapples with this crisis, the nation’s political and economic stability remains in jeopardy, with significant implications for its future.

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