Many might have seen the downfall of Sheikh Hasina coming from the way her development narrative during the initial period of her regime inclined towards autocracy over the last few years, though the recent student protests against her government’s controversial job quota system came as the last nail to the coffin. Instead of addressing the grievances of the nation’s frustrated youth, she chose to stifle their voice, triggering what started as a peaceful protest on college campuses to snowball into a nationwide agitation. More than 400 lives were said to have been lost in the protests that erupted after the High Court reinstated a quota system that earmarks 56 per cent of government jobs for different categories, including 30 per cent for family members of freedom fighters in the 1971 war for independence. From calling the protesters “Razakars”, which refers to the collaborators of the Pakistani army in the 1971 war, to the use of brute force, to imposition of indefinite curfew, to suspension of mobile internet services, the former prime minister just did everything that she shouldn’t have done to douse the agitation. The growing discontent with her regime was palpable; it was not something that erupted overnight. Despite the impressive economic growth during her second stint as the prime minister, her 15-year rule was also dented by allegations of human rights violations, suppression of dissent, crackdown on freedom of expression and the arrests of opposition leaders, including Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who was on house arrest over corruption charges. Her party Awami League’s success for the fourth consecutive term in the general elections held earlier this year also came amid boycotts by opposition parties and rigging allegations. However, her defeat didn’t come from her political opponents but from those who hold the real power – the people.
The veteran politician, who appeared invincible at one point of time, had to resign and flee the country after protesters marched to Dhaka and ransacked her official residence on Monday, a scene similar to what was seen in Sri Lanka about two years ago amid a severe economic crisis. Like Hasina, the then Sri Lankan president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, also did not listen to the voice of the people. Both leaders undermined the power of the common people, for which they had to pay a huge price. Well, Hasina was given a second chance to avoid a forced exit when the Supreme Court suspended the controversial reservation order but her failure to defuse the situation sealed her fate, sending out a clear message that authoritarianism masquerading as democracy is bound to fail. As an interim government is expected to take over the reins of the South Asian country, all eyes will be on how the policymakers chart out a clear road map for a new government by holding elections and subsequently pulling the country out of the chaos. The current political fallout will worry India but the way forward is to protect the relationship built over several decades and engaging for mutual benefits.