Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as Bangladesh Prime Minister came as a dramatic climax to weeks of escalating protests and pressure from security officials. Despite her initial refusal to step down and her insistence on intensifying the crackdown on protesters, security chiefs argued that force alone could not quell the unrest. The details of these critical moments were reported by Prothom Alo, shedding light on the intense discussions and decisions that led to her sudden departure.
Morning Meet with Security Chiefs
The Prothom Alo report describes a tense morning at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Ganabhaban, where Sheikh Hasina, the 76-year-old five-time Prime Minister and leader of the Awami League, summoned top officers of the security establishment and police force. With the death count rising from the protests, some advisors suggested transferring power to the Army. However, Hasina remained adamant, insisting that the forces strengthen the existing curfew.
Despite the curfew, the situation on the streets of Dhaka was deteriorating rapidly. Protesters were defying the restrictions, gathering at various spots around the city. During the meeting, Hasina questioned why the security forces had been unable to contain the protests and demanded a harsher crackdown. She pointed to visuals of protesters climbing atop police vehicles as evidence of the security forces’ failure and reminded the officers that their positions were due to her trust in them.
Police Chief’s Warnings
While Hasina praised the police’s response to the protests, the police chief conveyed a grim reality: the situation was spiraling out of control, and the police would not be able to contain it much longer. The security forces tried to explain that more force was not the answer. Yet, the veteran leader did not budge. The officers then spoke to Sheikh Hasina’s sister, Rehana, in another room, urging her to convince the Prime Minister to step down. Rehana’s efforts proved futile.
Son’s Intervention
At this critical juncture, Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, based in the United States, stepped in. Joy managed to speak to his mother and convince her of the dire need to resign for her safety. Speaking to NDTV, Joy later revealed that his mother was reluctant to leave Bangladesh, wanting to stay and face the situation. “She did not want to leave the country at all. But we kept insisting that it wasn’t safe for her. We were concerned for her physical safety first; so we persuaded her to leave,” he said.
A Disheartening Departure
Joy shared his mother’s disappointment, noting that she was disheartened by the turn of events. “It’s very disheartening for her because it was her dream to turn Bangladesh into a developed country, and she worked so hard for it over the last 15 years, keeping it safe from militants and terrorism. Despite all of that, this vocal minority, the opposition, and the militants have now seized power,” he said.
The Speech That Was Not Recorded
As the crowd of protesters swelled and intelligence inputs warned that Ganabhaban might be stormed, Sheikh Hasina was given 45 minutes to pack up and leave. She wanted to record one last speech addressing the nation, but there was no time. Accompanied by her sister Rehana, she left her home and made a brief stop at Bangabhaban, the President’s official residence, where she completed the resignation formalities. Around 2:30 pm, the ousted leader took off in a military aircraft, bringing an abrupt end to her 15-year uninterrupted term.
The Legacy and the Protest
Hasina’s ouster and flight represent a massive shift in Bangladesh politics. Fifty years after her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, led the struggle for Bangladesh’s independence, Hasina was forced to flee as protesters vandalized her father’s statues. The legacy of Mujibur Rahman, known as Bangabandhu, has become intertwined with his daughter’s politics, which protesters claim focused on suppressing dissent.
The Root of the Unrest
The protests in Bangladesh, which began last month, initially focused on a quota system that reserved 30 percent of government jobs for family members of Muktijoddhas, or freedom fighters from the 1971 war of independence. Protesters argued that this system favored supporters of the ruling Awami League and demanded a merit-based system. The government’s heavy-handed response to the growing protests, including attempts to crush them with an iron fist, only fueled further anger.
The situation escalated when Hasina made a controversial remark, questioning who would receive quota benefits if not the grandchildren of freedom fighters. Her reference to the Razakars, a paramilitary force that collaborated with the Pakistan Army during the liberation war and committed atrocities, struck a raw nerve and intensified the protests.
Court Rulings and Continuing Unrest
The unrest was further compounded by a high court order that declared illegal a 2018 government circular canceling the 30 percent quota for freedom fighters’ descendants in government jobs. Although the Supreme Court later ordered that 93 percent of government jobs be allocated on merit and the remaining reserved for relatives of freedom fighters, the ruling failed to pacify the protesters.
