August 5, 2024: A Year Since Toppling Bangladesh Hasina Dictatorship

Sheikh Hasina had angered everyone during her long rule. At various stages of her government, corruption, money laundering, and economic recession created anger among the people. And politically, all other parties, except for the 14-party alliance led by the Awami League, moved to an anti-government position. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had been in power for the longest time in the history of Bangladesh, was forced to leave the prime ministership and the country after several weeks of student and public protests, bloodshed, and nationwide unrest.

Students Lead the Revolution

In the face of the mass uprising of students, the public, and the working people, the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina fell on August 5, 2024. This is the end of a decade and a half of autocratic-fascist rule in Bangladesh at the cost of thousands of lives. On that day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign from the post of Prime Minister and leave the country for India. The memories of this historic change of heart are haunting the people of Bangladesh.

Coup on Democracy

Although she came to power through an election through a democratic process, the Awami League later became a de facto 'dictatorial' government. After 2008, there have been no more fair elections in Bangladesh in the real sense. Two of the three national elections held during this period were largely one-sided elections. And the 2024 election was a complete dummy election. The last nail in the coffin of the people's right to vote was hammered in. In the last 15 years of fascism, people have not actually had the right to choose representatives or express their opinions through voting.

Awami League: A Heavy Legacy of Corruption and Tyranny

What the Awami League did was to establish an authoritarian government by force. They did not take any decision from the people. As a result, they did not have the support of the people behind them. They came to power by using the administration to forcefully hold fake elections."

Fascist Awami

During the 15 years of the fascist Awami League government, not only political opponents but also opposing views through the opposition media and social media were suppressed with a heavy hand. Opposition media outlets have been shut down, seized or attempted to control them. In Bangladesh, for the past many years, cases have been filed and arrests have been made for posting statements against Sheikh Hasina or Sheikh Mujib on social media. Laws like the Digital Security Act and the Cyber Security Act have been enacted to suppress this. Many analysts believe that Sheikh Hasina's government and police forces together created a 'mafia state' for the entire country. And for all this, the government administration apparatus, police, RAB and intelligence forces, and even the judiciary have always been used.

Hasina killed more than 1,500 people

Many students including Abu Sayeed Mir Mugdho Wasim and more than 1,500 people from various professions have been martyred in the anti-discrimination student-public movement by the police and law enforcement forces and the attacks and shootings by Awami League party terrorists. 400 people have lost their eyes due to the violence of law enforcement forces and Awami League terrorists. More than 23,000 people have been seriously injured and wounded. Many have had to be disabled. Thousands of people are still writhing in hospital beds with bullet wounds on their bodies. Our children have brought victory in exchange for so much sacrifice.

History has written that August 5, 2024, was the fall of Sheikh Hasina. Along with it, the beginning of a new Bangladesh. For many, it was a new hope, a new beginning, and an opportunity for reconstruction. However, the day also ushered in something else – chaos.

Hasina Leaves Forever

 The entire Sheikh family left the country, they have repeatedly made headlines. They have also created a whirlwind of chaos from outside the country. Mysterious phone calls, bizarre allegations, political drama, and desperate attempts to regain power! What hasn't happened in the past year?

Hasina Fall

It is heard that Sheikh Hasina sought permission to record her speech to the nation before leaving the country. However, she was not given that opportunity. At around 2:30 pm on that day, Sheikh Hasina fled from Ganabhaban in a military helicopter 'for a safe place'. Her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, was with her at the time. After the news spread, the angry crowd entered Sheikh Hasina's official residence, Ganobhaban. The entire Ganobhaban was reduced to rubble. 76-year-old Sheikh Hasina, who had been in power for 16 consecutive years since 2009, on Monday (August 5) took refuge in India by helicopter with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, facing public anger. This incident has begun a rare and incredible chapter in the political arena of Bangladesh.

Mujibur Rahman from Democracy to Fascism

Once upon a time, Sheikh Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was also at the peak of popularity. And he reached there before coming to power. Such instances are rare in history, but it is sad but true that in just a few years, such a change has happened that many could not have imagined. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's popularity suddenly dropped to zero. The exact same incident was repeated five decades later—on August 5, 2024. Surrounded by greedy people, Sheikh Hasina thought that this is how the day would go; But he probably did not understand what the long-term accumulated anger of the people could do, even 24 hours ago.

The movement gradually intensified from peaceful protests to mass uprisings throughout the month of July. Finally, on August 5, 2024, Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister in the face of strong public anger and fled to Delhi, India, in a military helicopter with her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana. On the day of her fall, millions of people took to the streets across the country, including Dhaka, and expressed joy.

Sheikh Hasina had to leave

Sheikh Hasina left the country. Some Awami League leaders believe that Sheikh Hasina has destroyed her political achievements by leaving the country. At the same time, she has also threatened the existence of the Awami League, the party that led the Liberation War. August 5 proved that any dictatorial regime is ultimately defeated by the will of the people and is forced to do so. This movement, which began to demand quota reform, took the form of a full-fledged mass uprising, which ended a long-standing dictatorship. Although the path of the movement was bloody, it still reawakened the democratic spirit of Bangladesh.

 Three days after the fall of Sheikh Hasina, the interim Government of Bangladesh was formed by Dr Muhammad Yunus.  From the first day of his administration, Yunus reopened the public space in Bangladesh, released thousands of political prisoners, and ended media censorship.

Conservative Islamic Parties

In Bangladesh, conservative Islamic parties that emerged during Haseena’s rule, including Hefazat-e-Islam, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Islami, have become a part of the political landscape.  They can openly demand a greater role for Islam in the ruling of the country.  Now all political Islamic parties do their politics in an open environment. After gaining an open political environment, Islamic parties in Dhaka declared full support for the King last April and organized a massive rally against the genocide in Israel. During the rally, the Palestinian flag was waved, and slogans were chanted expressing full solidarity with Gaza.

In light of the growing public support for Palestine and rising anger against Israeli forces and their allies over the past few months, Bangladesh’s interim government has reinstated the phrase “valid for all countries except Israel” on passports. This clause had been removed during Sheikh Hasina’s regime.

Who will Reign?

Now an attempt is being made to build a unity among the Islamic parties in Bangladesh, including Jamat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon, and Hefajot-e-Islam. If this is successful, there is every possibility that in the future the Islamic parties will come to power in Bangladesh under the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami.

The people of Bangladesh are saying at the moment that they have seen the rule of the Awami League and have also seen the rule of the BNP. This time they will vote for Jamaat-e-Islami and bring it to power.