Why was Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina overthrown?

Media control allowed Hasina to project an image of her supporters as the legitimate heirs to the country's legacy of independence and achievements, while portraying dissidents and opposition members from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami (Bangladesh Islamic Council) as remnants of treasonous and "extremist" factions.

Former Prime Minister and key opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia was imprisoned in 2018 on corruption charges, while a leading figure of Jamaat-e-Islami was executed in 2016.

However, Hasina made a serious mistake when she called the students protesting for job quota reform "Razakar." With that statement, she crossed the line.

Adding fuel to the fire.

During a press conference on July 14th, Ms. Hasina was asked by a reporter about the student protests against state job quotas for families of those who contributed to the independence movement, which had been ongoing for over a week.

In response, Hasina replied, “If the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters don’t receive the [quota] benefits, then who will? The grandchildren of the Razakars?”

Her comments sparked protests almost immediately. Students felt her remarks unfairly undermined their efforts to address the "unfair" quota system in public jobs, which reserves about 30% of positions for the children and grandchildren of fighters who participated in the 1971 liberation movement.

The students began protesting within hours, marching through the Dhaka University campus, chanting provocative slogans: "Who are you? I am Razakar."

Hasina's response was very firm. This led to a day of violence on July 16, which left six people dead. Over the next four days, more than 200 people were killed, mostly students and civilians, as police and BCL armed forces fired live ammunition into the crowds.

Instead of condemning the violence, Hasina focused on the damage to government property, such as the metropolitan railway and the state television building.

This only fueled the anger of the students, who initially demanded a nine-point reform list, including an unconditional apology from Hasina and the dismissal of Home Secretary Asaduzzaman Khan and other ministers.

The protesters' demands eventually coalesced into a single slogan: "Hasina must resign!"

The journey to the pinnacle of power

Born in 1947 in what was once East Pakistan, Hasina has been involved in politics since childhood. Her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, known as the "Father of the Nation," led Bangladesh to independence from Pakistan in 1971 and became the country's first president.

At that time, Hasina had already made a name for herself as a prominent student leader at Dhaka University. The assassination of her father and most of her family in a military coup in 1975 left her and her sister as the only survivors, as they were abroad at the time.

After a period of exile in India, Hasina returned to Bangladesh in 1981 and took leadership of the Awami League Party, the party founded by her father.

She played a key role in organizing pro-democracy protests against the military regime of General Hussain Muhammad Ershad and quickly gained national prominence.

Hasina first became Prime Minister in 1996, credited with securing a water-sharing agreement with India and a peace treaty with tribal militant groups in southeastern Bangladesh.

However, her administration faced criticism for alleged corruption and favoritism toward India, leading Hasina to lose power to Begum Khaleda Zia, a former ally who became her rival.

In 2008, Hasina was re-elected Prime Minister with a resounding victory and led the government for more than 15 years thereafter.

Bangladeshi political analyst Zahed Ur Rahman told Al Jazeera that the most significant damage Hasina inflicted on the country was corruption.

Hasina has previously stated she would crack down on corruption, but critics argue there is no evidence that her administration is truly serious about addressing the issue.

Furthermore, Hasina has tarnished the legacy of the Bangladesh liberation war by distorting its narrative. Rahman stated, "The student protesters were so enraged by Hasina calling them 'Razakar' that they began using the term as a form of protest against her divisive tactics."

"Ultimately, this contributed to her downfall," said Zahed Ur Rahman.

Nguyen Khanh