Opinion | Regime Change in Bangladesh: Decoding the Role of Foreign Players

In a shocking, but not entirely unexpected development, Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina-led democratically elected government was ousted from power by the military on August 5, 2024. In a dramatically staged military coup, the Bangladeshi Army marched to the prime minister’s residence, following which Sheikh Hasina had to flee Dhaka in an Indian Army helicopter.

Crowds of protestors were seen going berserk, rampaging the PM’s house, reminding of the scenes witnessed in Sri Lanka after it went bankrupt in 2022 and Afghanistan after the Taliban comeback. The coup that lasted over 45 minutes has ended the 15-year rule of Awami League and is likely to catapult the destiny of the South Asian nation, much touted as a rare example of an Islamic nation with a functional democracy and flourishing economy, into the clutches of Islamic extremists. As per the most recent updates, Sheikh Hasina was flown to an IAF base in Uttar Pradesh. She was expected to proceed onwards to claim political asylum in the United Kingdom, but there has been no news since.