Under Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s prime minister, the country prospered, but democracy decayed. Hasina stumbled into corruption.
19:45•Updated 19:53
Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina succumbed to his own fullness of power. He went into exile on Monday, accompanied by protests.
Anti-government protests began in July. First, the government sent activists from its own student organizations against the protesting students. Then the government sent in the police, who immediately used harsh measures.
The final staple was what the middle class saw on their televisions.
– The majority of Bangladeshis were shocked when the policemen shot hard at the students.
This is what the doctoral researcher at Åbo Akademi thinks Johan Ehrstedt. He specializes in the history and current conditions of Bangladesh.
Johan Ehrstedt points out that Hasina, who has been in power for 15 years, has used violence to quell opposition and dissident demonstrations before. This time the violence was more violent than before.
Power blinded
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who went into exile on Monday, came to power as a defender of democracy, but power blinded and corrupted.
Inflation has been strong and basic goods have become more expensive. The government favored its inner circle and it enraged the people.
The student protests called for the dismantling of the quota system for government posts because it favored pro-government groups.
– People saw that the government served the few at the expense of the majority, says Johan Ehrstedt.
Blindness and unemployment
According to Johan Ehrstedt, the middle class swallowed their discontent because things remained calm.
During Hasina’s tenure, Bangladesh rose out of the caste of the world’s poorest countries. The economy made great strides.
However, development has slowed down and a lack of perspective has taken its place. Youth unemployment is a very big problem.
Bangladesh is one of the countries that send the most foreign workers. Those who leave are both less educated and better educated.
Army and India in the background
According to researcher Johan Ehrstedt, the speed of the shipwreck of Sheikh Hasina’s government can be explained by the fact that the army withdrew its support from the government and signaled the way for the formation of an interim government.
Another reason is that the neighboring country India made it clear that Hasina must now give in.
India was internationally the strongest international supporter of Hasina’s regime.
– During Hasina’s time, India has printed all the human rights violations of Bangladesh with wool.
Johan Ehrstedt says that it is important for India that the neighboring country is stable and predictable.
– India calculated that it cannot stay on the side of the loser, but that it must immediately be able to influence the formation of the future government.