Bangladesh’s President Dissolves Parliament Amid Uprising
Bangladesh’s President, Mohammed Shahabuddin, dissolved parliament on Tuesday, paving the way for the formation of an interim government. This move came a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country in response to a violent student-led uprising.
In a statement from the President’s office, it was announced that Begum Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was released from house arrest. The dissolution of parliament addressed demands from student protesters, who had threatened more demonstrations if their call was not met.
Key updates include:
- Protest leaders are advocating for Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to lead the interim government.
- Khaleda Zia has been freed from house arrest.
- India has expressed deep concern and offered support to Hasina.
- The death toll from the protests has risen to 413, with 113 deaths reported on Monday.
- There are global calls for a peaceful democratic transition.
- Families are waiting for the release of some political prisoners.
The protests initially focused on job quotas for families of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war veterans but expanded to include demands for Hasina’s resignation. Accused of election rigging, Hasina faced mounting pressure and eventually fled aboard a helicopter as the military turned against her.
The decision to dissolve parliament followed consultations with military leaders, political figures, student leaders, and civil society representatives. President Shahabuddin has stated that the interim government will hold elections soon. Army chief General Wakeruz Zaman is expected to meet with student leaders to discuss the formation of the new government.
Hasina’s departure ends her 15-year second term and 20 years of leadership, a legacy inherited from her father, Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1975. Khaleda Zia’s political movement also stems from her late husband, Ziaur Rahman.
Hasina is now in India, staying at a secure location near New Delhi. India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, has urged for calm and dialogue. Dhaka remains subdued, with lighter traffic and many businesses and schools still closed. Garment factories, vital to the economy, are shuttered with reopening plans yet to be announced.