MILITARY TAKES OVER AS PM FLEES COUNTRY
Demonstrators enter Sheikh Hasina’s residence after she hurriedly leaves for India following weeks of violent political protests nationwide
Jubilant Bangladeshi protesters flooded into the official residence of fallen Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday afternoon after she resigned and fled the country following days of bloody protests. But some warned they would not stomach long-term government by the army as it declared itself in charge on an “interim” basis.
The spectacular downfall of Hasina, 76, who governed Bangladesh for 15 years, followed some of the worst political violence ever witnessed in a country that came into being in 1971.
Hasina had sought since early July to quell nationwide protests against her government, but she fled after a brutal day of unrest on Sunday in which nearly 100 people died.
The protests started in July over a job quota system for the civil service that students said froze them out in favour of allies of Hasina and her long dominant Awami League party. The protests escalated despite the scheme having been scaled back by Bangladesh’s top court.
Hasan Robayet, 34, a private tutor, said he was overwhelmed with joy as he marched towards the prime minister’s residence, Ganabhaban – which translates to “the people’s residence” – in Dhaka.
“The people have triumphed; this is the success of a massive, people-led movement. I feel incredibly happy to have helped shatter this dictatorial regime. It feels incredible!”
“I am relieved that she finally fled. Now, we seek a peaceful transition of power to a democratically elected government. I don’t want to see our country governed by military rulers.”
His comments came after Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced shortly before 4pm local time that he was assuming control to establish an interim government and called on the student-led protesters to go home.
The briefing occurred at army headquarters. “I am taking responsibility now, and we will go to the president and ask to form an interim government to lead the country in the meantime.”
“During this critical time for our country, we have had constructive discussions with all political parties today. We have decided to form an interim government to oversee all operations.”
“I call on the students to return home. We cannot achieve anything more through destruction.”
“The country has suffered a lot, the economy has been hit, many people have been killed – it is time to stop the violence,” he added.
The army chief said he would talk to the president to form the interim government and had held talks with the main opposition parties and civil society members – but not Hasina’s Awami League.
Waker is a career infantry officer who has spent nearly four decades in the military, serving two tours as a UN peacekeeper as well as in the prime minister’s office.
“If the situation gets better, there is no need for emergency”, he said, vowing the new authorities would “prosecute all murders” following weeks of deadly protests.
“Now the task of the students is to keep calm and help us,” he said.
Media reports said Hasina was flown in a military helicopter with her sister and was headed to India. Media in India reported Hasina had landed at a military airbase near New Delhi, but a top-level source said she was only “transiting the country” and was heading to London.
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, an independent political commentator and author in India, said the upheavals in Dhaka did not bode well for New Delhi.
“The army stepping into governance anywhere in the world is a sad development for democracy. We will be in a bit of a jam because India has been silent on the way Sheikh Hasina has trampled on democracy and the democratic aspirations of the people of Bangladesh,” he said.
“The government of India’s silence has alienated it from the people of Bangladesh. It does not help to support an authoritarian leader who violates the rule of law. This was a classic case of one authoritarian leader backing another and now we may have to pay the price of not having friendly governments on both sides of our border.”
Mukhopadhyay said Hasina being allowed to stay in India could prove particularly problematic for bilateral relations.
“With Bangladesh, we have a long and very sensitive border. Modi’s government made the mistake of assuming Sheikh Hasina will be the permanent leader of Bangladesh … If indeed she [Hasina] is given refuge in India, India will not be able to have normal relations with Dhaka for a long time.”
Lin Minwang, deputy director of the Centre for South Asian Studies at Shanghai’s Fudan University, said Hasina’s resignation might have a “bigger” impact on Bangladesh’s ties with India than China.
“Traditionally [the ruling] Awami League is more pro-India and the [opposition] Bangladesh Nationalist Party is more friendly to Pakistan and China, so behind the protest against Hasina is actually a strong power against India,” he said.
“So compared with impacts on ties with India, the impacts on ties between Bangladesh and China are much smaller.”
The people have triumphed; this is the success of a massive, people-led movement
HASAN ROBAYET, TUTOR