On August 6, 2024, at 12:59 PM IST, a significant event took place in Bangladesh as Sheikh Hasina, who had been ruling the country since 2009, resigned and fled the country amidst escalating anti-government protests. The resignation of Hasina marked a turning point in the political landscape of Bangladesh, leading to a series of events that would shape the future of the nation.
Following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, a group of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters made headlines by storming the Bangladesh consulate in New York. Their mission was to remove the portrait of Sheikh Hasina’s father and former President, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The incident, captured on video and widely circulated on social media, showed members of the BNP forcefully entering the consulate and removing all portraits of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the premises.
This act of defiance by the BNP supporters was just one of the many protests and demonstrations that erupted across Bangladesh in response to Hasina’s resignation. Earlier on the same day, thousands of protesters had ransacked Hasina’s family’s ancestral home-turned-museum, where Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s first president and independence leader, was assassinated. The protesters also vandalized his statue in Dhaka, symbolizing their anger and frustration towards the ruling government.
In the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, chaos ensued in Bangladesh as anti-government protests intensified. Protesters stormed Hasina’s official residence, setting fires, looting furniture, and even emptying refrigerators of raw fish. Hours later, Sheikh Hasina landed at the Hindon Air Base in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad on a C-130 transport aircraft, sparking speculation about her next move. Reports suggested that she might seek political asylum in London, further adding to the uncertainty surrounding the country’s political future.
Amidst the turmoil, Bangladesh Army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that the military would form an interim government to restore stability in the country. President Shahabuddin, along with key opposition leaders, met with the press team to discuss the formation of an interim government. The dissolution of the Parliament, which was formed after elections earlier that year, and the release of prisoners from the protests, including former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, signaled a significant shift in power dynamics in Bangladesh.
As the nation grappled with the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, the future remained uncertain. The events that unfolded in Bangladesh on that fateful day marked a pivotal moment in the country’s history, with far-reaching implications for its political landscape. The resignation of Sheikh Hasina and the subsequent formation of an interim government set the stage for a new chapter in Bangladesh’s journey towards democracy and stability.