During Sheikh Hasina’s two separate terms spanning 20 years as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the current protests, which have resulted in over 300 deaths, represent perhaps the most significant challenge for Sheikh Hasina. The leader of the ruling Awami League secured re-election last month in an election the opposition boycotted. However, the students’ demands have been met with a harsh crackdown by police and security forces.
The violence has reignited discontent in the country that was once lauded for its growth success story. However, the global economic slowdown has exposed cracks in its economy. A fall in exports, soaring prices for essentials, and impatience with the government have sent many Bangladeshis out onto the streets.
At least 98 people were killed and hundreds injured in Dhaka and several other districts on Sunday as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse tens of thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Hasina. The government uses force only in self-defense and to protect state property. Still, critics say the troops have been deployed too aggressively, killing and injuring innocent bystanders.
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Hundreds of protesters, including women and children, were also arrested during the unrest. Many were released on Monday, but dozens of others remain in custody as they face charges of disrupting public order, illegal gatherings, and abetting an armed group, police said.
The student leaders behind the protests have rebuffed Hasina’s offer of unconditional talks and demanded her resignation. They have also called for reopening schools and universities, which were closed during the unrest. The students’ movement Students Against Discrimination, or SADD, has also threatened to launch nationwide civil disobedience campaigns if the prime minister does not resign. Internet outage monitor Netblocks said service providers have restricted access to Facebook and WhatsApp, which were used by protesters last month to organize the rallies.
In a hugely symbolic rebuke of Hasina, a respected former army chief, they demanded that the government withdraw troops and allow the protests to continue. The prime minister and her party have rejected the demand, saying that the army will only act when necessary to protect lives.
But the unrest will likely subside soon. With many of their leaders either under arrest or in exile, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has vowed to continue their campaign of peaceful protests. If their demands are not met, observers say, the next election could be more violent than the last. With BNP founder Khaleda Zia under house arrest and other key party leaders also in jail or exile, Hasina’s re-election is virtually guaranteed. But if the current unrest continues, it will put her in a precarious position that will not be helped by further outbreaks of political violence or reports of intimidation and rigging in next year’s poll. Sign up for our weekly Closing Arguments newsletter to get the latest on ongoing trials, significant litigation, hot cases, and rulings worldwide.