Hello everyone,
Bangladesh was stunned a year ago when, after weeks of student-led protests, longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India just before demonstrators stormed her residence. More than 1,4000 people had been killed in the worst violence to hit the country since it won independence in 1971.
In the year since, the students have remained a powerful bloc.
And, this week, they may have given us a clue to what could happen in February next year when the first elections since Hasina’s banishment are to be held.
So what’s that clue and where is Bangladesh headed?
Let’s jump into a Q&A.
Until next Saturday,
Barry.
What happened last year?
Protests erupted at the beginning of July over a quota system for allocating civil service jobs. The system had been abolished after previous protests in 2018 but when the High Court reinstated it in June 2024, it badly misjudged the mood in Bangladesh and unwittingly ignited the chaos that was to follow.
The quota dictated that one-third of government jobs were reserved for the children of fighters who participated in the liberation movement of 1971.
With unemployment already sky-high, anger was quick to bubble over and by the end of the month thousands of students flooded into the streets.
Another misjudgment. The government cracked down and cracked down harshly. Students were attacked by riot police, the army, groups linked to the ruling Awami League party, and even paramilitary groups.
About 1,400 people were killed and 20,000 wounded. By the time the High Court agreed to reform the quota system, it was too late. Protesters now wanted justice for those who were killed and for the prime minister to resign.
On August 5th, as protesters circled her residence, Hasina, who had been in power since 2009, was spirited away and sought refuge in neighboring India.
Where are we now?
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