Bangladesh to unveil democratic overhauls on revolution anniversary
The South Asian nation of around 170 million people has been in political turmoil since a student-led revolt ousted then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, ending her 15-year rule.
Muhammad Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner who is leading the caretaker government as its chief adviser until elections are held, has said he inherited a "completely broken down" system of public administration.
Mr. Yunus previously pledged to unveil a "big package" to overhaul democratic institutions.
But efforts to reach agreements have made slow progress as political parties jostle for power ahead of elections, slated for early 2026.
Mr. Yunus's government has warned that political power struggles risk jeopardising the gains that have been made.
On July 29, Mr. Yunus said he was working to "build a broad national consensus around a renewed political system — one that delivers inclusive, participatory, and credible elections".
Mr. Yunus's office said on Saturday (August 2, 2025) that the "July Proclamation" would be "presented to the nation... in the presence of all political parties involved in the mass uprising".
Ms. Hasina's rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents.
Her government was also accused of politicising courts and the civil service, staging lopsided elections and dismantling democratic checks on its power.
Ms. Hasina, 77, fled to India, where she has defied court orders to attend her ongoing trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity.
Protests began on July 1, 2024, with university students calling for reforms to a quota system for public sector jobs.
They culminated on August 5, 2024, when thousands of protesters stormed Ms. Hasina's palace as she escaped by helicopter.
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Indian Express
27 minutes ago
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Sheikh Hasina denounces Yunus' ‘unelected regime' in Bangladesh: A timeline of events that led to her ouster a year ago
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a statement on the first anniversary of her government's collapse, calling on the citizens to 'continue' their struggle for 'justice, economic opportunity, education, and peace.' Describing the transition of power as a 'dark moment' in the country's history, Hasina criticised the current regime, which she said had seized power through 'unconstitutional means'. 'One year ago today, our nation witnessed the violent interruption of our hard-fought democracy, as an unelected regime seized power through unconstitutional means. It was a dark moment in our history, an affront to the will of the people, and a betrayal of the trust between citizens and the state. While they may have taken power, they will never take away our spirit, our resolve, or our destiny. I can assure you of that,' she said. 'Power belongs to the people' The former Bangladesh PM further emphasised that 'power belongs to the people, not those who seize it by force,' and asserted that no regime can suppress the 'will of the nation'. Statement from Sheikh Hasina Marking One Year Since the Fall of Democracy —————— This is an open letter to the honest, hard-working and patriotic people of Bangladesh. One year ago today, our nation witnessed the violent interruption of our hard-fought democracy, as an… — Bangladesh Awami League (@albd1971) August 5, 2025 'We must continue to stand for justice, for economic opportunity, for education, for peace, and for a nation where no one lives in fear. Together, we will rebuild what has been broken. Together, we will reclaim the institutions that were taken from us. And together, we will write a new chapter, one defined not by oppression, but by hope, progress, and freedom,' Hasina wrote. She then urged Bangladeshis to continue standing up for 'justice, for economic opportunity, for education, for peace, and for a nation where no one lives in fear.' Hasina's latest remarks came as her trial began at Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka for alleged crimes against humanity. She is facing charges of crimes against humanity related to the violent suppression of student-led protests in 2024, which led to her government's collapse. Sheikh Hasina's ouster Bangladesh, on Tuesday (Aug 5), marked a year of its long-serving former PM Hasina's dramatic ouster. What started as student-led protests against a government job quota system, escalated to violent clashes and unrest that forced Hasina to flee to India. Following this, the military declared that it would form an interim government, which Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus is currently heading. The country, once hailed for its promising economic growth and social progress, is still grappling with instability. Timeline of events July 1, 2024 The university students took to the streets, constructing barricades and blocking roads and railway lines to demand reforms to the quota system for coveted public sector jobs. The protests were aimed at challenging the existing system, which they felt was unfair and limited opportunities for deserving candidates. July 16, 2024 The violence intensified as the protesters and pro-government supporters threw bricks at each other and fought with sticks, claiming six lives. July 18, 2024 Protesters torched the headquarters of state broadcaster Bangladesh Television along with several other government buildings, chanting 'down with the dictator', hours after Hasina called for peace, warning that every 'murder' in the protests would be punished. By then, at least 32 people had lost their lives and a hundred others were injured. July 21, 2024 Bangladesh's Supreme Court ruled that the decision to reintroduce job quotas was illegal. However, this did not stop the protesters as their demands to fully abolish the reserved jobs for children of 'freedom fighters' from Bangladesh's 1971 independence war against Pakistan were not met. August 5, 2024 Hasina fled to India after protesters stormed her palace, with thousands celebrating.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Bangladesh Grapples With Fraught Politics A Year After Ex-PM Hasina Fled
Dhaka: Bangladesh marks on Tuesday a year since long-serving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the South Asian Islamic nation following student-led protests, but it is still grappling with instability. Here are key tasks ahead for the country of 173 million governed by the interim administration of Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus. Deadly July Protests Led by the 'Students Against Discrimination' group, they initially targeted a quota system in public sector jobs but escalated into deadly unrest as protesters, demanding Hasina's resignation, clashed with security forces and supporters of her Awami League party. Protesters blamed the government for a crackdown that killed hundreds and injured thousands with unrest peaking on August 5 when Hasina was forced to flee to neighbouring India just before protesters raided her official residence. Yunus Takes Charge An interim government was formed and tasked with restoring stability and preparing for parliamentary elections. Yunus, 85, took charge as de facto prime minister. It promised sweeping institutional reforms but progress has been slow and fragmented, despite broad consensus on key reforms such as restoring a non-partisan caretaker government to oversee elections, depoliticising state institutions and overhauling the Election Commission. But deeper reforms have stalled in the face of sharp disagreements with political parties over proposals for constitutional change, judicial reform and introduction of a bicameral parliament. Political analysts point to a widening gap between public expectations and outcomes. Election, Includion And Contention Yunus' government is caught between the need for reform and pressure for early elections, its biggest challenge. Yunus has suggested February 2026 as a possible date after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia called for a December 2025 deadline. Further strain has been added by the controversy over the exclusion of Hasina's Awami League party, after its registration was suspended, effectively barring it from contesting. Many want it to participate, despite its top leadership being prosecuted for alleged violations of human rights during the protests. Without broad political inclusion, the legitimacy of a vote could be suspect. The newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), born out of the 2024 protests, is viewed by critics as being favoured by Yunus' administration, which the government denies. But the suspicion could also cloud the credibility of the vote. Changed Political Culture, But Fragile Gains Law enforcement remains a challenge, though analysts say freedom of expression has expanded since Hasina's exit while suspected forced disappearances during her tenure appear to have stopped. Political violence, mob attacks and harassment of journalists and minorities, especially women, are regularly reported. Mob violence claimed at least 199 lives between August 2024 and July 2025, says rights group Ain o Salish Kendra. New York-based Human Rights Watch warns that while some authoritarian practices have ended, the interim government has adopted troubling tactics of its own. Among these arbitrary detentions, mass arrests, and politically motivated prosecutions mostly targeted at supporters of Hasina's party, the group said. Torture in custody and use of the Special Powers Act continue, mirroring repressive tactics of the past, HRW said. The government denies the charges. July Declaration A charter, called the 'July Declaration' after last year's uprising, is set to be unveiled on Tuesday, laying out a roadmap for democratic reforms. Drafted by the government in consultation with political and student leaders, it aims to commit to electoral reform, constitutional changes, and institutional accountability. It is seen as both a symbolic tribute and a strategic blueprint for Bangladesh's political transition. But critics warn it could remain merely symbolic without legal safeguards and broad parliamentary consensus to help drive major change.
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Bangladesh under Yunus: Mob rule and mayhem see over 600 lynching deaths in year since Hasina's fall
In the one year since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina and the appointment of Muhammad Yunus as the country's interim ruler, Bangladesh has descended into a state of lawlessness helmed by Islamists, with mob justice becoming the norm. A report has said that more than 600 lynchings have taken place over the past year. read more Men run past a shopping center which was set on fire by protesters during a rally against then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Sunday, August 4, 2024. (Photo: Rajib Dhar/AP) Over the past one year since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has slipped into a state of lawlessness under the interim government of Muhammad Yunus, the octogenarian propped by the agitators and the military as the country's unelected ruler. Amid cyclic attacks on the country's religious minorities, particularly Hindus, mob violence has increasingly become the norm in Bangladesh that has not even spared the country's police personnel. Since August 5, 2024, at least 637 people, including 41 police personnel, have been lynched in Bangladesh, according to Canada-based Global Centre for Democratic Governance's (GCDG) data carried by The Economic Times. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For comparison, there were just 51 cases of lynchings in 2023 when Hasina was in power. ALSO READ: With Sheikh Hasina out of Bangladesh, anti-India forces rise in Bangladesh & pose major challenges Pakistan-backed groups, many of whom pursue outright Islamist extremism, have run amok in Bangladesh since the ouster of Hasina. They have waged a campaign of retribution against political opponents, particularly the workers, activists, and leaders of Hasina's Bangladesh Awami League (BAL). They have also attacked the country's minorities, particularly Hindus, whom they accused of siding with Hasina. In the past year, Hindus have been attacked in their houses, their houses have been burnt, and their temples have been attacked. Instead of making the protection of minorities' protection a priority, Yunus has presided over the state patronage of extremists, which has included acts like the release of jihadist leaders from jail. Most lynching victims were from Hasina's party Of those lynched, around 70 per cent of victims were from Hasina's BAL, local human rights bodies have said. These victims have largely been from Hindu and Ahmadiya Muslim communities, which have been a favourite target of Islamists in the country. Even though agitating groups said they were fighting for democracy, they have propped an unelected regime of Yunus with little accountability. The regime has not yet announced a date for elections and continues to run the country without any mandate from the people. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moreover, in yet another case of democratic backsliding, Yunus has banned BAL and has presided over a campaign to remove BAL, BAL's leader Sheikh Mujibur Rehman —the father of the nation— from public consciousness.
