PM Hasina's Harsh Rule Has Caused Unrest In Bangladesh

Bangladesh eased its nationwide curfew on Thursday as students deliberate the future course of their protest movement against civil service recruitment policies, which sparked several days of deadly unrest. However, numerous questions still linger unanswered.

Last week’s unrest resulted in the death of at least 191 individuals, among them several police officers, as per an AFP tally based on reports from police and hospitals, marking it as one of the most turbulent periods under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.

Under the orders of Prime Minister Hasina, thousands of troops continue to patrol cities, and the nationwide internet shutdown is still largely enforced. However, the frequency of clashes has decreased since protest leaders declared a temporary cessation of new demonstrations.

The government led by Hasina has announced a further easing of the curfew initially set during the peak of the turmoil, now permitting unrestricted movement from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Concurrently, the thoroughfares of Dhaka, the expansive capital city home to 20 million residents, witnessed a surge in commuter traffic this morning, a stark contrast to the recent days when intense confrontations between law enforcement and demonstrators had rendered them nearly empty.

Banks, government offices, and the nation’s crucial garment factories reopened on Wednesday after a week-long closure. Student leaders are scheduled to meet later on Thursday to determine whether to extend their protest moratorium, set to end on Friday.

Students Against Discrimination, the organization behind this month’s rallies, anticipates that the government will offer some concessions.

“We demand an apology from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the nation for the mass murder of students,” Asif Mahmud, one of the group’s coordinators, told AFP.

“We also want the sacking of the home minister and education minister.”

Prime Minister Hasina’s administration has taken a hard stance against students, with police informing AFP that over 4,000 individuals have been detained since last week, including 2,500 in Dhaka alone. Meanwhile, the UN’s rights chief, Volker Turk, has called on Bangladesh to carry out “an impartial, independent, and transparent investigation” into the incidents of violence.

“We understand that many people were subjected to violent attacks by groups reportedly affiliated with the Government, and no effort was made to protect them,” he said in a statement.

Numerous members of the diplomatic community believe that Prime Minister Hasina’s casual comment during a July 14 press conference—questioning whether job reservations should go to descendants of freedom fighters or razakars (the East Bengali militia that collaborated with the Pakistan army during the liberation war)—galvanized and unified the protesters, leading them to take to the streets.

Hasina’s derisive labeling of the students as ‘razakars’ backfired in an unforeseen way. Countless young individuals adopted ‘razakar’ as their social media monikers, voicing their slogans in protest of this intentional effort to discredit and denigrate their valid demands.

The international community has largely ignored what could potentially escalate into a severe regional conflict. Students and their allies are urging the United States Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, along with other prominent figures in the international community, to challenge the Prime Minister over what they perceive as unjust actions. They question how many individuals must be harmed or suppressed before effective measures are taken.

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Jim Williams

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Washington based CEO & Founder of LJC. Media covering politics, sports, & entertainment A seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director, and podcast host. Digital Director and Washington Bureau Chief at News Talk Florida & The Daily Cable