The coup d’état in Bangladesh is the result of civic self-awareness that is not ready to put up with the corruption and authoritarianism of the system
Just imagine the inhabitants of a densely populated South Asian country, in which a population that is five times greater than the Ukrainian population lives on a territory four times the size of Ukraine. Countries ranked 135th in the world in terms of living standards. People, most of whom live in the slums, rarely get an education above primary school. People forced from birth to survive in a highly competitive environment and endure.
The moment came when the patience of the people of Bangladesh broke – students and the general public came out with protests, which resulted in a coup d’état. The trigger for the release of social tension was the decision of the Supreme Court on July 21 to restore the system of quotas for positions in the public sector, which was canceled in 2018.
Student protests demanding the abolition of the quota system for civil service jobs began in July. The protests turned into a campaign to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been in power for 15 years and was last re-elected for a fourth term this January.
The return of the quota system, in which the best jobs in the civil service are “for their own” and transgender people
In its transformed form, the quota system provided for the distribution “by merit” for 93% of jobs in the public sector, reduced from 30% to 5% of the quota for relatives of veterans of the war for independence, 10% for women, 10% for the poor, 5% for national minorities, 1 % for the disabled. It caused outrage and innovation that members of the “hijra” caste – transgender or non-binary people – should be admitted to government positions.
Protesters accused the government of election fraud, corruption and expressed dissatisfaction with a system in which a third of public sector jobs are reserved for relatives of independence war veterans, and the economic situation and working conditions for most workers are unacceptable.
Students expressed dissatisfaction with corruption and injustice in the education and employment system. Representatives of opposition parties and independent activists demanded fair elections and reforms. Human rights organizations advocated human rights and democratic reforms.
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, is a democrat who became an autocrat
They say that the government corrupts people. The disgraced 76-year-old Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was in power for a total of about 20 years (doesn’t that remind you of any of today’s scandalously famous world leaders?) and ended her political career in a less than brilliant way: in January she was accused of election fraud, and in July millions of people took to the streets demanding her resignation. Hundreds of people were killed during the crackdown, but protests grew and Hasina was eventually brought down by the military, after which she fled to India.
Results of protest activity
Until August 5, the protest activity of Bangladeshis led to the destruction of the prison, several hundred human victims, destruction, arson and clashes with the police. The authorities harshly suppressed the uprising, including arresting the leaders of the political opposition. More than 500 people were arrested for participating in the riots.
The Supreme Court made a compromise decision to cancel part of the quotas, but it is not yet possible to verify whether this decision has been implemented because the court’s website is blocked and the Internet is turned off in the country.
The government of Bangladesh responded to the demands of the protesters not only by resigning Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but also by dissolving the parliament and forming a military-led interim government to ensure order and prepare for new elections. In addition, investigations into corruption allegations were announced and reforms in the education and employment system were promised. As a result of the coup in Bangladesh, political prisoners and the predecessor of the disgraced prime minister, 78-year-old Khaleda Zia, who was convicted by a political rival “for corruption” were released.
Students want to see Yunus as the head of state
Student leaders demand that 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus head the government. (Yunus is an honorary title given to prominent Muslim scholars and theologians, those who have made significant contributions to Islamic law, theology or philosophy). “When students who have donated so much ask me to step in at this difficult time, how can I say no?” Yunus commented.
The reaction of the world community and the peacekeeping role of the UN and the EU
The leading reactions of the world community to the coup in Bangladesh are concern and condemnation. For example, the European Parliament expressed concern about the situation and called for the restoration of law and order. The UN and the EU called for dialogue between the conflicting parties and the restoration of democratic order. It is worth noting that international mediation and support can play a key role in resolving such conflicts. Here are just a few historical precedents.
Thus, the transition from apartheid to democracy in South Africa in the 1990s was achieved through negotiations between the government and the African National Congress, as well as the support of the international community. Also indicative is the peace agreement between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which in 2016 put an end to the multi-year conflict. Finally, the civil war in Sierra Leone, which ended in 2002 thanks to UN intervention and peacekeeping efforts, is illustrative.
What can the country expect next?
Currently, it is difficult to fully predict the future consequences of a coup d’état. Usually, experts predict such a pessimistic scenario for the development of a country that has survived a coup. Political instability, human rights abuses, economic decline, social unrest, political change and international isolation.
Coups often lead to prolonged political instability, which makes it difficult to manage the country and carry out reforms. Investors may lose confidence in the country, which will lead to an outflow of capital and a decrease in economic activity. This can lead to an increase in unemployment and a deterioration in the standard of living of the population.
The result of the coup may be protests and riots among the population, which in turn will lead to violence and humanitarian crises. The country may face sanctions and diplomatic isolation from the international community. The new regime may change the country’s domestic and foreign policy, which may affect its relations with other states and international organizations. Military coups are often accompanied by repression and human rights violations, which is condemned by international human rights organizations.
But I want to believe that the residents of the South Asian country, who found the courage to go against the backward, authoritarian, corrupt system, will eventually get what they fought for – freedom, equal rights and an acceptable quality of life.
If only the inhabitants of the aggressor country, which has been trying to destroy our state for the third year, could reach their level of self-awareness…
Tatyana Morarash
