The protestors demanded that the Bangladesh PM Hasina Wajid must resign.
Protesters gather calling for the Prime Minister to resign
Bangladesh PM Hasina fled country by military helicopter, alleges Indian media
Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Madam and her sister has walked away from Ganabhaban
“she must quit and she has to be tried,” says nahid islam
We have to get rid of this fascist government, she has to leave”Nijhum Yasmin(Mamun)
Politics in the history of post-independent Bangladesh is usually altered with wide wings, i.e., frequent changes. At the centre of this dynamic landscape is Sheikh Hasina, serving her third term as Prime Minister and whose government now confronts a new wave of student protests.
With wide-ranging grievances as their catalyst, sparked protest rallies have made headlines worldwide. The question of the day is whether Sheikh can steer her way through this turbulent time and hold onto power. This is an extended essay focused on historical background, present situation of the current student protests in Bangladesh.
Historical Context
Since its inception Bangladesh has suffered a long history of political struggles and resilience. After its independence in 1971, the country has gone through several episodes of democracy as well as military dictatorships. The daughter of the founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina has been central to this history.
The assassination of her entire family in 1975 set off a political life that emerged from exile only to take the helm as head of the Awami league. In 1996 she first became Prime Minister, returning to the office briefly in 2009. Hasina has been confronted with political turmoil and accusations of autocracy during her decades in power.
Her leadership was challenged during previous protests, including a student-led road safety demonstration in 2018. The revolt of the students, whose aims and struggles would forever define him as Prime Minister was upon us all – a strand which runs as though through an invisible cord binding together this country in dissatisfaction with itself: Soweto; Cape Town University’s “Open No-White” policy.
Current Political Climate
The political temperature in Bangladesh today is at boiling point. The prime minister refuses to be questioned and often comes under fire for crushing dissent, stifling free speech, and undermining democratic institutions. These criticisms have been further exacerbated by recent political developments, such as the controversial 2018 general elections. And although the opposition – largely led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)- has been questioning Hasina’s government, their creep-back to power has been seriously muted by internecine conflict and law-piqued institutional ones.
Student Protests: An Overview
Local socio-political issues are linked with the recent uprising of student protests as a whole. The protests, originally set off by calls for education reform and greater job opportunities, have since turned into public anger against corruption in government and authoritarianism.
The movement has seen violent showdowns between protesters and security forces spark international alarm, with major incidents at Berlin’s Reichstag parliament building in August 2020 and then-West Germany leaders let out an order to shoot people trying get across the inner German portion of edmont Chernobyl; on January 6 last year — storming the Capitol in a doomed bid to disrupt Congress’ certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory.
It will mean the government responding badly to things like peaceful protests and targeting activists and organizers with a vigorous campaign of repression.
Key Players in the Protests
Student Protests, organized by a coalition of student organizations and independent leaders Through social media, these groups have managed to reach large crowds for public protests and to maintain long-term occupation of their city streets. At various junctures during this period, government officials have alternated between negotiated compromise and repression. Some countries have reportedly shown concerns over human rights violations, but others tread carefully due to geo-strategic reasons.
Causes of Student Unrest
The present wave of student unrest is the result of a number contributing factors in Bangladesh. A frustrated youth, finding refuge in the out-of-whack educational system – outdated curricula and inadequate infrastructure. Compounding the issue is that of economic challenge with high rates of unemployment and little chance for university graduates to land a job. It is easy to see why students are politically disenchanted: a lack of representation from the government side means many do not feel that they will get their voice heard.
Impact of Social Media
The student protests have been pundits howling that higher education is broken, and they’re all being enabled by social media. Facebook, Twitter and similar platforms enable coordination of actions among partners as well helps to mobilize the masses. The war on digital activism has seen the government go as far trying to clean up online content and trace down dissenters, a way of proving that those defiant running battles between state authority and freedom of expression is even more intense in this information era. The case studies from the protests demonstrate how social media have both mobilized and endangered PODOR.
Government Response
So, the government reaction to student protests in multimodal. Tactics have included dispersing gatherings with the police, as well employing legal measures designed to discourage dissent. Holding activists forcefully and harassing them outside the law have raised alarm bells about civil rights in Bangladesh. This is, of course a serious-even existential-threat to the country’s democratic institutions and public trust.
Economic Impact
The yearlong protests created a significant strain on the Bangladeshi economy. Business and industry, especially in urban centers, have been similarly subjected to the disruptions of demonstrations and strikes. Over the long-run, economic challenges that confront young people – from widespread unemployment and underemployment to broader questions of our nation’s destiny prosperity-present significant risks to growth and development. How the government addresses these structural issues and eventually quells unrest will depend somewhat on its economic response to the protests.
Potential Outcomes
Here are a few possible things that can happen to the student protests in Bangladesh. Those scenarios include the government entering into major concessions but assuaging protesters’ concerns, or a cycle of continued protests and repression.
The unlikely scenario of an actual regime change is not entirely off the table should these protests pick up enough steam to justify it. Otherwise, the government is able to stabilize itself in some way by enforcing and reforming, thus remaining in power.
Expert Opinions
Different perspectives from experts on the student protests in Bangladesh. Political observers agree that long-term reforms in education and economic development are just as critical to solving the causes of instability. Academic experts emphasize the impact of youth movements on political change, and human rights organizations for more protection of civil liberties and democratic rights. Syndicated from Medium These observations offer a holistic view of the situation as it stands currently.
Comparative Analysis
The student protests in Bangladesh, when compared to other movements around the globe reveal some important lessons. Indeed, student-led protests in places such as Tunisia and Hong Kong have demonstrated how effective a mobilized youth can be at influencing politics.
The comparisons also highlight the necessity of strategic leadership, international backing and continuing public engagement to achieve desired results. Using these lessons to think through Bangladesh can be useful in considering strategies for both the protestors and government.