What Next in Bangladesh? PM Sheikh Hasina Resigns as Violent Protests Leave More Than 100 Dead
Image Source: Livemint
Bangladesh is now standing at the crossroads after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned amid a wave of violent protests that have left over 100 people dead.
The political turmoil has thrown the nation into uncertainty, giving rise to questions regarding the future of the country and whether it will ever be stable.
The Catalyst for Crisis
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation was tendered after months of widespread spirals of violence across the country.
Protests began months ago with claims of electoral fraud and a call for fair elections, turning quickly into a much bigger movement against all that her government stood for.
The opposition accused Hasina of being authoritarian and drowning out any dissent—claims her administration has mostly denied.
The crisis deepened when security personnel clashed with the protesters in Dhaka and other cities. State-sponsored repression with live ammunition only served to incite the crowds further.
This resulted in over 100 deaths, both among civilians and security personnel, marking one of the worst phases in the recent history of Bangladesh.
Political Vacuum and Uncertainty
In this jungle of politics, the resignation of Sheikh Hasina has really created a political vacuum in the country’s political arena.
With this resignation, the ruling party itself has come to terms with the void of a leader, and the opposition to that polity is broken and shattered, lacking any rallying entity. It has deepened the apprehension of further instability and violence.
The immediate question facing Bangladesh is who will take over the reins of power. The Awami League is meeting today to appoint an interim leader, a process that could be bitterly disputed.
In a direct challenge to the government, the opposition party in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and other political factions in the country, are calling for an election, seizing what they see as an opening to the leadership of the present confusion in the governing political party.
But history may throw up the role that the military cannot avoid. The Bangladeshi military has traditionally played an almost active big brother in the national politics, swooping in at times of peril. Although the military has so far stayed in its barracks, this could not be the case under intensifying waves of violence.
There are fears that the military, in the worst-case scenario, may impose martial law or support a technocratic government in order to establish a functional government.
However, this would also be a very sensitive step, and this would again likely cause a wave of new aggressions since many in Bangladesh are averse to military intervention in the political process.
Economic Implications
The present political turmoil that the country of Bangladesh is experiencing is also causing grave economic repercussions.
Disruption of businesses, widespread strikes, and hindrance to economic activities are all problems of the violence and instability in the political crisis. Now, the country of Bangladesh is among the fastest growing economies in Asia.
With the increasing caution of foreign investors, there are real concerns over the prospect of a slump in foreign direct investment. More than any other, it is the garment sector, which plays the most vital role in Bangladesh’s economy, some of those factories having been shut amidst unrest.
The international community has come down heavily on the situation obtaining in Bangladesh. Several countries, including the USA, the UK, and India, among others, have urged all parties concerned to exercise restraint and extend courtesy by contacting one another to discuss dialogue details to help defuse the situation.
The United Nations has also expressed a willingness to mediate between the government and opposition forces.
This may get muddled by the geopolitical interests of regional powers. Notably, India’s stakes are far greater, since the Awami League is close to the regime in New Delhi and will be averse to any change of guard that might bring the BNP, with its erstwhile pro-Pakistan sympathies, to the limelight.
And, though not explicitly, another key actor in this region, China, is watching as it has invested many eggs in the infrastructural basket of Bangladesh.
The Way Ahead
The way forward is very challenging for Bangladesh. There will have to be genuine commitment by the political stakeholders to face the conflictual situation with a spirit for honest dialogue to restore normalcy.
An important stage is the preparation of the ground for the installation of an interim government that would be acceptable to all, capable of carrying on free and fair elections.
An interim government with warring and political-opposition parties in partnership would actually make this eventuality real and workable.
Needed diplomatic support from the international community and facilitating much-dialogue has also become absolutely necessary. Nevertheless, any outside intervention needs to be balanced and demarcated with respect to the sovereignty of Bangladesh.
Conclusion:-
The resignation of Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, is one epitome moment in the history of Bangladesh. Now Bangladesh stands at the juncture of great change and potentially tumultuous times.
The weeks and months following are going to be instrumental in charting a course for Bangladesh as leaders and the general public deal with the after-effects of the violence to find a way that will lead to stable and democratic governance.
It remains the hope that, through dialogue, restraint, and a commitment to democratic principles, Bangladesh will be able to extricate itself from this crisis stronger and more united.
