What started as a student-led protest over a government jobs quota system in June (more on that below) has quickly grown into a mass movement against Bangladesh’s long-standing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and what many view as her increasingly autocratic government.
Hasina, head of the Awami League party, was once seen by many as a champion of democracy. She is, in fact, currently, the world’s longest-serving female head of government, in office since 2009 – but that’s not exactly a compliment. After winning a fifth term in office this January (four election victories in a row!), both the U.S. and UK governments condemned the elections as “not free or fair.”
Hasina’s premiership, or ‘reign’ as it is often called, has become defined by the widespread and brutal repression of dissent. From the imprisonment of human rights activists and reports of extrajudicial killings to enforced disappearances, and of course, a chilling effect on anyone who seeks government accountability. ….more