How swiftly the democratic institutions that once symbolized hope and governance can be crumbled, swept away by the calculated overthrow of a government. A peaceful rally can spiral into a coup, orchestrated by covert supporters of the right wing supporters of Islamic parties and their allies, such as the Bangladesh. With ruthless precision, they have seized power, tightening their grip on the nation, fuelling treachery, spreading misinformation, and igniting the fires of fear.
The nation was forged in the crucible of bloodshed and hope during the 1971 Liberation War. Families bore the weight of profound loss. They were raised in an atmosphere where stories of grandparents martyred on the battlefield or brutally killed in the senseless hatred of war were recounted with solemn pride and pain. Silent tragedies lingered too—of aunts who vanished into obscurity, their deaths in army camps shrouded in a silence too heavy to break. Young people know little beyond the schoolbook summaries of this grand history of liberation of their nation.
July 2024 Students Protests
After 53 years since that war, in July, 2024, students joined the protests demanding abolishment of public employment quota policy of their Government. Their senior student leaders, whom they called brothers and sisters, declared, ”The quota system in government jobs is unjust.” They rallied against job quotas for women, descendants of freedom fighters, ethnic minorities, and the disabled. They demanded a merit-based employment system instead. Thousands of students took to the streets. Initially, resistance to quota sparked nationwide debate. The protesters shifted their stance and called for reforms. After COVID-19, Bangladesh was suffering economically. Inflation was high, and thousands anticipated that their employment prospects upon graduation would be slim. So students’ families, proud of their children, offered silent support.
As the darkness fell
Soon, the protesters rebranded themselves as ”Students Against Discrimination.” The protest took a dark turn after rumours circulated that a student protester had been killed in clashes with police. Rumours, amplified by social media and external supporters, intensified the unrest. The government argued that the matter was under judicial review and urged patience. However, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was labelled a ”fascist” by the protesters. The news of death of a student influenced by both insiders and outsiders, spread globally through social media. The protest was being dubbed the “Monsoon Revolution” by the western media. Clashes continued. Violence escalated, with attacks on government buildings, institutions, and polices. By August 1, protesters demanded withdrawal of the prime minister.
Unbeknownst to most, out of the 158 coordinators of the protests, 116 or more were members of radical Islamic party Jamaat, disguised as secular students. Their true intentions were not disclosed to their fellow supporters. The radical Islamic faction among the protesters formed mobs, orchestrated jailbreaks to free jihadists convicted of crimes like the killings of bloggers, the Holy Artisan attack, nationwide bombings, and assassination attempts on the Prime Minister. While the government attempted dialogue, the protesters remained steadfast, demanding Prime Minister’s removal.
By August 5, violence had escalated further. Extreme brutality committed. Mobs killed police personnels and displayed their bodies to instil fear. As destruction spread and threats to her life intensified, the Prime Minister left the country. Mob gangs looted her residence. Nationwide, they dismantled secular and democratic symbols, such as, the Parliament house, Liberation war Museums, ancient Sufi Shrines associated with humanist fakirs and singers, the Museum of Sheikh Mujib – the Father of the nation. The parliament was dissolved, revenge killings and harassment surged.
Islamist groups known for collaborating with the Pakistani Army during the 1971 genocide, which claimed 3 million lives, and facilitating the rape of over 200,000 women—gained prominence. These groups, adhering to radical Islamist ideologies advocating for an Islamic State, together with their ally, have been carrying out attacks on ethnic minorities. Particularly Hindus and Ahmadis have been suffering the most.
On August 8, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Laureate and founder of Grameen Bank, was sworn in as the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government.
The UN Investigation
According to a UN investigation report titled “Preliminary Analysis of Recent Protests and Unrest in Bangladesh,” nearly 400 deaths were reported from July 16 to August 4. Those killed include protesters, bystanders, supporters of the prime minister, journalists covering the events and a number of members of the security force.
The Islamic culture Graffiti and ISIS Flag
A nation once vibrant with the vitality of theatre and concerts have been facing a silenced cultural landscape. Education falters under the weight of 1,500 forced teacher resignations. Amidst this turmoil, the ultimate spectre of terror emerged. First people noticed a calligraphy graffiti of an ISIS soldier with a black Flag. Then the Hizb-ut-Tahrir, an Al-Qaeda affiliated Islamic outfit, marched openly under the ominous banners of ISIS, a chilling testament to the chaos encroaching upon the heart of the country.
As the global media celebrated Bangladesh’s rise into a new era of development, people grappled with conveying the harsh realities they continued to face. 2,000 documented atrocities has been reported since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. With a surge in random arrests and mass murder charges against Hasina, her ministers, party leaders, and journalists in the International Crimes Tribunal, global media warned that the interim regime in Bangladesh may be weaponizing the legal system for retribution, while downplaying the lawlessness and atrocities in the country. They expressed serious concern about the security and safety of the people. (The Independent).
Tallying the number of those killed and the atrocities committed has risen to date. Quietly, women and girls have gradually stopped going out in the evenings and have refrained from sharing incidents with their families. Reports have emerged of women’s bodies being brutally mutilated after being killed. Between September and October, over 2,500 incidents of violence against women were reported.
The nation suffers as hundreds of businesses were looted and burned, deepening the chaos and economic decline. As the world’s second-largest clothing exporter, Bangladesh supplies brands like Levi’s, Zara, and H&M. The Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) estimates the country’s losses in November exceed $10 billion. However, the true number is probably much higher, as most major media outlets were attacked by mob gangs: they set fire to and vandalized eight TV stations, major dailies were threatened. All media have been seized by the current regime.
After the 100th Day
The Interim Government recently marked its 100th day in office, and it has requested Interpol to arrest Sheikh Hasina on charges of genocide.
Since July, economic woes, spearheaded by relentless inflation, gnaw at the fabric of ordinary lives now. The surge in commodity prices, paired with stagnant wages, has eroded livelihoods, draining the populace of its purchasing power. The government’s failure to take decisive measures to stabilize the faltering local currency casts doubt on its ability to fulfil the promises that once propelled it to power. Reflecting this reality, the World Bank has downgraded the country’s economic growth projection from 5.7% to 4.1% for the year 2024–2025 (The Daily Star, Oct. 28). Within three months challenges of the country are now multitude.
Amid Darkness, the Light of Possibility
The radical Islamic movement have been yearning to turn back the clock, to a time before the 1971 liberation.
The UN and global organizations must support the people of Bangladesh in defending democracy and human rights, averting a potential civil war. Grass-roots movements reviving the Liberation ideals need global backing to unite for secularism and justice, countering extremism, and pressure must be placed on the government to ensure, without delay, an all party-inclusive election. Rebuilding the economy through fair trade and aid can also protect families from radicalization.
The west needs to stand with the people of Bangladesh as they struggle to restore the nation’s spirit built on the four principles of nationalism, democracy, socialism, and secularism.
Jahanara Nuri
