Wednesday, 27 August, 2025
Bangladesh was finally liberated from Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic rule on 5 August, following a massive people’s uprising and supreme sacrifices that forced her to flee to India. Bowing to an unprecedented student-led movement, Hasina’s nearly 16-year reign of authoritarianism crumbled in the face of relentless public resistance.
Her downfall was the culmination of years of brutality, marked by the deaths of hundreds and injuries to thousands in barbaric crackdowns carried out by her loyal law enforcement agencies and armed cadres of the Awami League and its affiliates, including Jubo League and Chhatra League.
August 5 emerged as both a day of victory and tragedy. Even after the Awami League government collapsed, police unleashed savage attacks on celebratory crowds, killing hundreds more. Despite the regime’s last-ditch attempts to hold onto power through force, Sheikh Hasina was compelled to resign and flee—contradicting her long-standing defiance and earlier claims that "Sheikh Hasina does not flee."
Ironically, only 12 days before her downfall, Hasina had boasted in a meeting with business leaders on 22 July 2024 that she would never abandon power. But the tide turned as hundreds of thousands of people marched towards Dhaka from across the country, defying curfews and relentless rain, overwhelming the regime’s security barricades.
When Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman confirmed Hasina’s resignation, a wave of wild celebrations erupted nationwide. The myth of Hasina’s unshakeable grip on power and the Awami League’s so-called political fortress collapsed before the eyes of millions. Streets across Dhaka were flooded with jubilant citizens; thousands stormed the Ganabhaban, the prime minister’s official residence, turning it into a symbol of people’s triumph.
The Prime Minister’s Office and Parliament were also occupied by protesters, as people from all walks of life—students, workers, children, and the elderly—poured onto the streets from late morning until nightfall, celebrating the end of a long-standing autocracy.
As Hasina desperately clung to power, fierce clashes erupted between demonstrators and security forces on the city’s perimeters. Even after thousands had gathered at Shahbagh, the regime’s forces continued violent assaults in a last attempt to suppress the uprising. Her sudden and unannounced departure triggered mass killings, as police indiscriminately opened fire on unarmed celebrants in Dhaka and beyond.
Enraged by the regime’s bloody crackdowns, protesters retaliated, setting fire to Awami League offices, police stations, and several media outlets known for parroting government propaganda. The public’s fury was the culmination of years of suppression under Hasina’s autocratic rule, marked by gross human rights abuses, silencing of dissent, and relentless attacks on freedom of expression since she took power in 2009.
The flashpoint for the uprising was Hasina’s refusal to address student demands for fair reforms in the government job quota system. What began as a student movement for justice transformed into a nationwide mass uprising when the regime responded with brutal force.
The students had initially launched their protest following a High Court verdict that reinstated the government’s controversial 56% quota system, including 30% reserved for descendants of freedom fighters. This court ruling reversed a 2018 circular that had been issued only after extensive student protests, which had previously faced vicious attacks from Chhatra League cadres.
Outraged by the court’s decision, students once again took to the streets, viewing the quota system as an unjust barrier against meritorious candidates. As the government unleashed a violent crackdown, the movement spiralled into a full-scale uprising. According to UN estimates, at least 1,400 people were killed and around 20,000 injured, plunging the nation into chaos.
Media reports confirmed that the bloodshed intensified on the morning of 5 August, when security forces opened fire on demonstrators defying curfews and barricades to join the “March to Dhaka” at Shahbagh. Although the students had initially planned the march for 6 August, the Awami League’s violent show of force on 3 and 4 August—resulting in 93 and 66 deaths respectively—prompted protesters to advance their plans.
Earlier, student leaders had placed a nine-point charter of demands, including an unconditional public apology from Sheikh Hasina for the deaths of over 200 people in violent clashes between 16 and 21 July. But instead of addressing their grievances, the authorities escalated repression by arresting six key coordinators of the movement.
Upon their release, student leaders intensified their resolve, declaring a one-point demand for Hasina’s resignation at a mass rally at the Central Shaheed Minar on 3 August. Nahid Islam, a key coordinator of the anti-discrimination movement, made the announcement, signalling a turning point.
Following this declaration, repression against demonstrators intensified, compelling the movement’s leadership to call for the decisive “March to Dhaka” on 5 August. Protesters even coined the day as “36th July”, symbolising their belief that the month of July would not end until Sheikh Hasina’s downfall was achieved.
On that historic day, millions of people gathered in Dhaka’s neighbourhoods and outskirts, converging on Shahbagh from early morning, undeterred by state-imposed barriers. Across the country, thousands more began their march towards the capital, defying curfews and braving violent crackdowns.
The atmosphere was charged with resolve. Thousands were prepared to sacrifice their lives to end Sheikh Hasina’s reign. No security measure could stem the tide. The people’s march towards Ganabhaban was unstoppable, trampling through every obstacle.
Ultimately, realising her position had become untenable, Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country with her sister Sheikh Rehana, departing in a military helicopter to India. Thus ended her long, autocratic grip over Bangladesh, brought down not by foreign intervention or political conspiracies, but by the unrelenting will of an awakened populace.
Comments
Bangladesh was finally liberated from Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic rule on 5 August, following a massive people’s uprising and supreme sacrifices that forced her to flee to India. Bowing to an unprecedented student-led movement, Hasina’s nearly 16-year reign of authoritarianism crumbled in the face of relentless public resistance.
Her downfall was the culmination of years of brutality, marked by the deaths of hundreds and injuries to thousands in barbaric crackdowns carried out by her loyal law enforcement agencies and armed cadres of the Awami League and its affiliates, including Jubo League and Chhatra League.
August 5 emerged as both a day of victory and tragedy. Even after the Awami League government collapsed, police unleashed savage attacks on celebratory crowds, killing hundreds more. Despite the regime’s last-ditch attempts to hold onto power through force, Sheikh Hasina was compelled to resign and flee—contradicting her long-standing defiance and earlier claims that "Sheikh Hasina does not flee."
Ironically, only 12 days before her downfall, Hasina had boasted in a meeting with business leaders on 22 July 2024 that she would never abandon power. But the tide turned as hundreds of thousands of people marched towards Dhaka from across the country, defying curfews and relentless rain, overwhelming the regime’s security barricades.
When Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman confirmed Hasina’s resignation, a wave of wild celebrations erupted nationwide. The myth of Hasina’s unshakeable grip on power and the Awami League’s so-called political fortress collapsed before the eyes of millions. Streets across Dhaka were flooded with jubilant citizens; thousands stormed the Ganabhaban, the prime minister’s official residence, turning it into a symbol of people’s triumph.
The Prime Minister’s Office and Parliament were also occupied by protesters, as people from all walks of life—students, workers, children, and the elderly—poured onto the streets from late morning until nightfall, celebrating the end of a long-standing autocracy.
As Hasina desperately clung to power, fierce clashes erupted between demonstrators and security forces on the city’s perimeters. Even after thousands had gathered at Shahbagh, the regime’s forces continued violent assaults in a last attempt to suppress the uprising. Her sudden and unannounced departure triggered mass killings, as police indiscriminately opened fire on unarmed celebrants in Dhaka and beyond.
Enraged by the regime’s bloody crackdowns, protesters retaliated, setting fire to Awami League offices, police stations, and several media outlets known for parroting government propaganda. The public’s fury was the culmination of years of suppression under Hasina’s autocratic rule, marked by gross human rights abuses, silencing of dissent, and relentless attacks on freedom of expression since she took power in 2009.
The flashpoint for the uprising was Hasina’s refusal to address student demands for fair reforms in the government job quota system. What began as a student movement for justice transformed into a nationwide mass uprising when the regime responded with brutal force.
The students had initially launched their protest following a High Court verdict that reinstated the government’s controversial 56% quota system, including 30% reserved for descendants of freedom fighters. This court ruling reversed a 2018 circular that had been issued only after extensive student protests, which had previously faced vicious attacks from Chhatra League cadres.
Outraged by the court’s decision, students once again took to the streets, viewing the quota system as an unjust barrier against meritorious candidates. As the government unleashed a violent crackdown, the movement spiralled into a full-scale uprising. According to UN estimates, at least 1,400 people were killed and around 20,000 injured, plunging the nation into chaos.
Media reports confirmed that the bloodshed intensified on the morning of 5 August, when security forces opened fire on demonstrators defying curfews and barricades to join the “March to Dhaka” at Shahbagh. Although the students had initially planned the march for 6 August, the Awami League’s violent show of force on 3 and 4 August—resulting in 93 and 66 deaths respectively—prompted protesters to advance their plans.
Earlier, student leaders had placed a nine-point charter of demands, including an unconditional public apology from Sheikh Hasina for the deaths of over 200 people in violent clashes between 16 and 21 July. But instead of addressing their grievances, the authorities escalated repression by arresting six key coordinators of the movement.
Upon their release, student leaders intensified their resolve, declaring a one-point demand for Hasina’s resignation at a mass rally at the Central Shaheed Minar on 3 August. Nahid Islam, a key coordinator of the anti-discrimination movement, made the announcement, signalling a turning point.
Following this declaration, repression against demonstrators intensified, compelling the movement’s leadership to call for the decisive “March to Dhaka” on 5 August. Protesters even coined the day as “36th July”, symbolising their belief that the month of July would not end until Sheikh Hasina’s downfall was achieved.
On that historic day, millions of people gathered in Dhaka’s neighbourhoods and outskirts, converging on Shahbagh from early morning, undeterred by state-imposed barriers. Across the country, thousands more began their march towards the capital, defying curfews and braving violent crackdowns.
The atmosphere was charged with resolve. Thousands were prepared to sacrifice their lives to end Sheikh Hasina’s reign. No security measure could stem the tide. The people’s march towards Ganabhaban was unstoppable, trampling through every obstacle.
Ultimately, realising her position had become untenable, Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country with her sister Sheikh Rehana, departing in a military helicopter to India. Thus ended her long, autocratic grip over Bangladesh, brought down not by foreign intervention or political conspiracies, but by the unrelenting will of an awakened populace.
Comments
