Bangladesh’s dictator flees—leaving behind a dangerous vacuum

SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world to World News@lemmy.world – 168 points – Bangladesh’s dictator flees—leaving behind a dangerous vacuum
economist.com

On the afternoon of August 5th, televisions in Bangladesh broadcast images of a helicopter rising from the residence of Sheikh Hasina, the country’s prime minister until minutes before. The chopper was carrying her and her sister “to safety”. Shortly afterwards images appeared of gleeful protesters entering the prime minister’s residence, lounging in her bed and making off with pets and furniture. Others were filmed dancing in the streets of Dhaka. In an address to the nation, General Waker-uz-Zaman, the army chief, confirmed that Sheikh Hasina had resigned and said he would form an interim government. One of the world’s wiliest autocrats, and its longest-serving female head of government, she had been summarily dispatched by angry citizens. “She is a blood-sucker, a monster for us, for the young people,” said a protester. “She destroyed Bangladesh.”

Started from students, then a mass of citizens, who eventually pushed back and managed to actually kick her out.

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It's bizarre to me that the country doesn't have a line of succession for the next person to automatically assume the vacant position.

Apparently they're supposed to have a deputy, but the position has been vacant since 1990, when the current government system was established.

Usually, parliamentary systems will elect a temporary caretaker, but I guess Bangladesh isn't stable enough for that. Seems they often end up with the military temporarily in control.

Dictators often make sure they have no successor, because that makes them harder to depose and replace. Take Putin, for example. Few other Russian elites have anything to gain by staying in Ukraine, but they'd still prefer a draining war there to a civil war at home. So, he does things like make Medvedev post about how much he wants a nuclear exchange, and he stays relatively coup-proof due to lack of any alternative with staying power.

lounging in her bed and making off with pets and furniture

Interesting looting priorities.

She left her pets?

What kind though? Like an alligator and a koala?

I can't imagine fleeing without my doggo.

Yeah. Probably not dogs, because Islam, but it could be anything from cats to Escobar-style cocaine hippos.

That there's enough for them to be removed in noticeable quantities deepens the mystery.

Interim government under the army

If we're going by the usual antics of South Asia, this is probably not a good sign.

Hopefully democracy can resume again. I'm glad Bangladesh is a tiger economy and has grown so insanely fast, but she became exactly what she fought to remove.

For now it seems the military took over. They say 'temporarily', but they always say that... it might, as well, be just a change of the dictator. Let's hope it is not the case, this time.

Yes. I have no actual special insight on the situation. Given the recent democracy it doesn't sound impossible it could return, ooor it could be junta time.

OP, source?

I was hoping to read the rest of the article.

Random link I found.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/08/05/bangladesh-prime-minister-hasina-resigns/

Regular life has been upended across Bangladesh. Most of the garment factories that power the country’s economy did not open Monday. Flights into the capital, Dhaka, were canceled as its main airport temporarily shut down operations. Businesses shut their doors as hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets of major cities, blaring horns, chanting and setting fire to vehicles and buildings.

Speaking to the BBC, Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, said his mother had left for her own safety and did not have plans to lead the country again. “She has turned Bangladesh around,” Joy said, defending his mother’s legacy. “When she took over power, it was considered a failing state. It was a poor country. Until today, it’s considered one of the rising tigers of Asia.”

The protests that have gripped Bangladesh over the past month started in opposition to a government policy that reserves half of civil service jobs for certain groups but evolved into a broad-based opposition movement against Hasina, who has become increasingly authoritarian, rights groups and security analysts say. Since taking office in 2009, she has been accused of manipulating the country’s elections — including by suing and jailing political opponents — to maintain her grip on power.

At least 300 people were killed in clashes between the two sides over the past month, the majority “shot dead by police, paramilitaries and members of the ruling Awami League,” according to the International Crisis Group. Hasina showed little indication of backing down as the toll climbed, saying as recently as last week that the protesters were “not students, but terrorists.”

Yikes.

300 people died because of her.

All rights are won through violence!! ✊

I'm not sure whether to agree or disagree. It all depends on how much indirection you allow.

I'm just surprised there was a female dictator of an Islamic country at all given how little respect that religion has for women.

Meanwhile you’re shilling for Israel which is disgraceful given how little respect that country has for Palestinians.

Palestinians had zero respect for them either and started several wars against Israel which they lost. Maybe they should've thought about that then.

So do you think they had it coming and deserve being genocided because they’re Palestinian or Muslim or both?

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