Bangladesh president dissolves parliament, frees former PM Zia
In a dramatic turn of events, Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved the national parliament on Tuesday, paving the way for the formation of an interim government and new elections. This decisive move follows Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and subsequent flight from the country on Monday, prompted by a violent crackdown on a student-led uprising.
President Shahabuddin’s office also announced the release of Begum Khaleda Zia, leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a former prime minister who had long been at odds with Hasina. Zia’s release comes as part of the broader political shakeup aimed at restoring stability to the nation.
The student protests, which intensified over the past month, initially began as demonstrations against public sector job quotas favoring families of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war. Critics argued these quotas unfairly benefited allies of the ruling party. The unrest escalated into widespread violence, resulting in approximately 300 deaths and thousands of injuries since July.
The situation reached a boiling point when demonstrators stormed and looted Prime Minister Hasina’s opulent residence on Monday. Although the streets of Dhaka were relatively calm on Tuesday, with lighter traffic and many businesses and schools remaining closed, the chaos had already taken a toll on daily life. Garment factories, crucial to the economy and suppliers to major global brands, are scheduled to resume operations on Wednesday after a brief hiatus.
President Shahabuddin’s decision to dissolve parliament followed consultations with military leaders, political figures, student representatives, and civil society members. The formation of the interim government is underway, with ongoing negotiations involving key stakeholders.
In a statement, President Shahabuddin assured that the interim government would organize elections promptly. Nahid Islam, a prominent leader of the anti-Hasina movement, stated, “Any government other than the one we recommended would not be accepted.”
Hasina’s departure marks the end of her 15-year second term, bringing to a close a political era that saw her lead Bangladesh for 20 of the past 30 years. Her tenure was marked by a longstanding rivalry with Khaleda Zia, who inherited her political legacy from her late husband, Ziaur Rahman, an earlier ruler of Bangladesh.
