With the disbandment of parliament on Tuesday, August 6, following the flight of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India on Monday, August 5, Bangladesh finds itself at a crossroads. The new ad interim government, which sees the military temporarily in charge, will have an important role to play in shaping the country’s future. The time has come for Bangladesh to transition towards democracy. Will those in power allow it to happen, ensuring the voices of the people are heard and their wish for a democratic government comes true, or will they try to preserve the status quo?
Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, currently in charge, understands the importance of the events Bangladesh is experiencing. As reported by Reuters, he recognizes that “the country is going through a revolutionary period.” He therefore requested the Bangladeshi people, “to have faith in the army of the country,” and pleaded for them not to “go back to the path of violence and return to non-violent and peaceful ways.” Nahid Islam, the leader of the “Students Against Discrimination” group, one of the main parties in the protests that occurred in the past two months in the country, has made his position on the issue clear in a written statement on his Facebook page. “Any government other than the one we recommended would not be accepted,” he wrote, underlining how the students would not allow any administration led or supported by the military to take control. According to Reuters, Islam suggested the appointment of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as a chief adviser for the new executive.
The situation in Bangladesh has been quite dire ever since the first protests erupted in June over the decision of the High Court to reinstate a quota system for government jobs, which overturned a 2018 ruling of the Hasina government that had cancelled it. After weeks of intense fighting between the protesters and the armed forces, which resulted in numerous deaths, injuries, and arrests, the tension subsided when the Supreme Court decided to eliminate most of the quotas on July 21, but refueled last week with a new purpose: have the Prime Minister apologize for the brutal repression of the demonstrations and step down from her position, restore Internet connections, reopen the college and university campuses, and release all protesters who had been arrested. Hasina gave in to the protesters’ requests, handing in her resignation and going into exile on Monday, August 5, which led to the military taking temporary control of power and dissolving the parliament.
Bangladesh now finds itself in a critical circumstance. With the former government dismantled, the military temporarily in charge, and the students making their demands, all elements are on the table for starting fruitful discussions on how to transition the country toward a fully-fledged and functioning democracy. It therefore becomes crucial to work together and not overlook the different points of view, ensuring that what comes next is the realization of the wishes of every single citizen and not the egoistic ambitions of a few.
The following weeks will be crucial for the future of Bangladesh. With all eyes on the country and the international community closely monitoring the situation, as indicated by statements made by the United States and the European Union, there is no space for error or further violence. The path toward democracy is not easy. It requires commitment, openness, and willingness to work together to achieve a common goal. It entails addressing the root causes of injustice, economic stagnation, and unemployment to ensure that every citizen will have the chance to pursue their ambitions and live a fulfilling life. The international community has a role to play in this. It must provide the necessary support the country requires to make the transition smoother, and safeguard the population’s wellbeing, for a better and democratic future for Bangladesh.
