A month ago, a student-led movement ousted Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, after weeks of protests and clashes that killed over 600 people and pushed the country to the brink of chaos.
Hasina, 76, fled to India on Aug. 5 as anger against her government swelled. But the ouster triggered more violence. Police went on strike and mobs rampaged across the country until a new interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in.
What is the interim government focused on?
Since he was sworn in, Yunus declared that his key tasks would be to restore peace and law and order, fight corruption, and prepare for new elections.
His Cabinet, which includes two student leaders who spearheaded the protests, has fixed its sights on overhauling and reforming Bangladesh’s institutions, from its courts and police to the Election Commission. To do this, it’s also seeking support from the United Nations Development Program.
The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who pioneered microcredit to help impoverished people, especially women, asked for patience in an address to the nation.
What is the mood in Bangladesh?
Unrest persists. Garment workers demanding better wages have forced about 100 factories to shut down and tensions are simmering, with lingering but widespread anger against Hasina and her Awami League.
Hasina, now in self-imposed exile, is facing murder charges in more than 100 cases. Key officials perceived as close to her resigned after mass protests.
Many cases have also been registered against those associated with Hasina, her party or her government — from former ministers and judges to journalists and even a prominent cricket player. They’ve been attacked, stopped from leaving the country and even jailed. Rights groups have also condemned these lump charges.
What about the students?
Within a week of unseating Hasina, the students who drove her out were directing traffic in the capital, Dhaka.
Some schools and universities have since reopened, including Dhaka University, which became the epicenter for the protests against Hasina. But things are not back to normal yet.
Many heads of educational institutions have been forced to resign and in some cases, even though classes have formally restarted, few students are attending them.
What’s next?
There is a sense that normalcy is slowly returning — Dhaka’s streets are no longer a battleground between security forces and students. Internet is back on and a nationwide curfew with a shoot-on-sight order has been lifted.
With much of the violence eased, shops, banks, hotels and restaurants are open, and police — who went on strike over fears for their own safety — are back at work.
However, their morale is low. Officers are less visible on the streets and seemingly unwilling to tackle disturbances as their crackdown remains fresh in the people's minds.
Dozens of police were killed during the uprising, their stations torched and looted.
Another challenge is restoring the economy, which was disrupted by the weekslong shutdown during the uprising, sending prices of food and commodities soaring.
The biggest question is: When will the new elections be held?
Some experts say the interim government doesn’t have the mandate to enact major reforms and that it should focus on building consensus among political parties on reforms — and schedule the polls.
https://apnews.com/article/bangladesh-student-protests-hasina-yunus-what-now-cb3b0e6a651084f265fbb93dd55530ee
Posted by Naurgul