Dhaka—The capital of Bangladesh braces for further unrest as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina contemplates stepping down amidst escalating violence.
Since the advent of protests last month, the South Asian nation has witnessed its most turbulent period in over five decades, marked by citizen uprisings and police clashes.
A Semifinal with Constraints
Bangladesh stands at a crossroads, with the potential resignation of PM Hasina looming amidst widespread agitation. Reports from AFP cited a senior aide declaring her resignation a possibility, although verification by Reuters is pending.
Amid the uncertainty, she and her sister have been moved to a safe location.
Law Minister Anisul Huq conveyed the gravity of the situation to Reuters, stating, “the situation is very volatile. What is happening, I myself don’t know.”
These sentiments reflect the atmosphere of anxiety gripping the state apparatus as people’s dissent becomes increasingly vehement.
A Defiant March Against Curfew
In a bold act of defiance, youth activists have called for a march on Dhaka, ignoring the nationwide curfew. The intent is to demand Hasina’s resignation owing to the deepening crisis.
Clashes on the previous day have led to nearly 100 fatalities, unsettling the country. As protestors marched, military presence in the capital increased, bringing a hush over civilian movement.
The Daily Star reported six deaths in confrontations between police and demonstrators in Dhaka’s districts of Jatrabari and Dhaka Medical College.
Independent verification from Reuters remains pending. To scatter protesters, police reportedly deployed sound grenades, as documented by Prothom Alo.
Standoff as Violence Escalates
Stakes rose as thousands besieged law enforcers in strategic city points. The military, expected to play a vital role in restoring order, saw its Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman postpone a crucial national address amid dialogue with key figures outside the military.
The military has appealed to the public to abstain from violence, a plea hanging in the balance until the nation hears from the army chief.
Meanwhile, the public awaits his address with bated breath, seeking clarity and direction amid chaos.
The Spark of Unrest
The unrest traces back to a demand by student groups to scrap the contentious quota system in government jobs.
What began as a focused campaign metamorphosed into an overarching push to oust PM Hasina, who secured her fourth consecutive term this January in elections boycotted by the opposition.
In a solitary day, police battles with tens of thousands of protesters resulted in at least 91 casualties, with hundreds injured.
To curb the violence, a curfew has been imposed since Sunday evening, disrupting normalcy with suspended railway services and shuttered garment industry doors—sectorial pillars of the nation’s economy.
Awaiting what Lies Ahead
With the narrative of Bangladesh’s future at an inflexion point, the nation anticipates how the dynamics between the embattled government, interventionist military, and persistent public will shape up.
As it stands, the government scrambles to stabilize, and the opposition fortifies its stances in this backdrop of deep dissent and bloodshed.
