Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh presents a captivating narrative to the outside world. As the world’s longest-serving female head of government, she stands out as a secular Muslim leader often seen adorned in colorful saris. She has actively combated Islamic militancy, implemented initiatives that have lifted millions out of poverty, and skillfully maintained relations with both India and China.
However, the perceived success of Sheikh Hasina’s leadership has come at a significant cost. Throughout her 15-year tenure, she has solidified her authority, leading to a deeply divided nation of 170 million people. Those who aligned with her were rewarded with patronage, power, and immunity from consequences, while dissenters faced crackdowns, legal battles, and imprisonment.
The recent sustained protests in Bangladesh represent a backlash against Sheikh Hasina’s style of governance – one characterized by absolute power, detachment, and entitlement. The violent suppression of protests, resulting in at least 150 fatalities, has emerged as the most significant challenge to her authority, following her landslide victory for a fourth consecutive term as prime minister.
Analysts suggest that the current crisis is largely self-inflicted by Sheikh Hasina. The protests, initially led by students, began as a peaceful objection to job quotas that reserved positions in the government for specific groups. However, the brutal response from government security forces and party-affiliated vigilantes pushed the country to the brink of chaos, leading to the imposition of a curfew, military presence on the streets, and severe restrictions on communication.
Even in a nation with a history of political violence, Sheikh Hasina’s recent crackdown has resulted in what diplomats and experts describe as unprecedented atrocities in Bangladesh in recent memory. The level of violence has crossed a threshold for many Bangladeshis, sparking widespread outrage at the scale of the brutality that seems unlikely to subside in the near future.
