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Bangladesh protests

A new chapter for Bangladesh

Published on August 14, 2024

After weeks of violence, Bangladesh has purged itself of a leader who was increasingly seen as autocratic. But the nation's new leaders face massive challenges.

While a feeling of hope and elation has swept across much of Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina’s overthrow, there remain huge challenges. : David Peterson via Pixabay Pixabay licence While a feeling of hope and elation has swept across much of Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina’s overthrow, there remain huge challenges. : David Peterson via Pixabay Pixabay licence
Authors 360info editorial team


DOI 10.54377/ce98-0afe

After weeks of violence, Bangladesh has purged itself of a leader who was increasingly seen as autocratic. But the nation’s new leaders face massive challenges.

Bangladesh’s uprising has been a political earthquake. The former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in power for 15 years, fled following weeks of bloody protests.

Economist and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been chosen to lead a new interim government. And while a feeling of hope and elation has swept across much of the country, there remain huge challenges.

360info has sought out the experts, both in Bangladesh and elsewhere, to explain how this earthquake happened and what the future holds for a nation at the crossroads.

Editors Note: In the story “Bangladesh protests” sent at: 14/08/2024 16:09.

This is a corrected repeat.

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In this Special Report

The Awami League has no apparent successor to ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who actively prevented any heir from emerging. : PM Sheikh Hasina, June 24, 2024, by MEAphotogallery via Flickr https://flic.kr/p/2pZdzQf CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Protests and bloodshed have toppled Sheikh Hasina’s regime, but the way forward is far from certain. Here are four possible scenarios.

What next for Bangladesh?
Sheikh Hasina’s continuation in office is attributed to strong Indian support. : MEAphotogallery Flickr

Instead of adopting a tough foreign policy line, India must work to regain Bangladeshi people’s trust lost earlier.

Putting India-Bangladesh relations on an even keel
Yunus clearly has the support of the students who shed much blood overthrowing the Sheikh Hasina regime. : Nahid Sultan CCBY4.0 Share Alike

The political orientation of Yunus and the respect he enjoys in civil society will be an asset to the interim government.

Why Bangladesh chose Yunus to steady the ship
Nobel laureate Dr Mohammad Yunus, who will lead the interim government in Dhaka, has a difficult, if not an impossible task, ahead. : Rooturaj via Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

The country faces prospects of continuing political and social unrest as well as economic meltdown.

Bangladesh’s next leaders face a daunting task
Bangladeshis from all walks of life have shown their resilience in the face of autocratic governance. : Austin Curtis via Unsplash

The brutal crackdown on student protesters revealed the totalitarian aims of the prime minister and the resilience of belief in democratic freedoms.

Bangladesh’s battle between democracy and autocracy
Bangladesh’s national flag has united student protesters in the past. : Tanvir Khondokar Unsplash

In their struggles against authoritarian rule, Bangladesh’s students have always relied on their history’s many artefacts.

History’s key role in students’ deadly protests
Bangladesh has witnessed multiple students-led movements in the past. : Sultan Mahmood Flickr

Sheikh Hasina’s government is faced with the gravest threat to its existence in the face of sustained student agitation.

Protests put Bangladesh on the edge of a precipice

Related content

Putting India-Bangladesh relations on an even keel

Instead of adopting a tough foreign policy line, India must work to regain Bangladeshi people’s trust lost earlier.

History’s key role in students’ deadly protests

In their struggles against authoritarian rule, Bangladesh’s students have always relied on their history’s many artefacts.

Bangladesh’s next leaders face a daunting task

The country faces prospects of continuing political and social unrest as well as economic meltdown.

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