IntelScoops

DHAKA – August 5, 2025

Thousands of Bangladeshis are expected to take to the streets today in nationwide rallies marking the first anniversary of the mass uprising that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in what remains one of the most tumultuous political upheavals in South Asia in recent history.

The anniversary comes amid tight security across major cities, including Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, and Khulna, where both supporters and critics of the former leader plan to hold parallel demonstrations. Civil society groups and student unions say the protests will commemorate the lives lost during last year’s violent crackdown and demand justice for the victims.

More than 200 people were killed during the unrest in mid-2024, according to independent rights monitors, as security forces clashed with protesters calling for electoral reforms and accusing the Hasina-led government of widespread human rights violations, election manipulation, and authoritarianism.

Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh for over 15 years, fled the country shortly after her resignation in July 2024, amid mounting international pressure and public fury. Her fall from power stunned regional observers and reshaped the country’s political landscape.

Living in Exile

While Bangladesh prepares for the first anniversary of her removal, the former prime minister remains under the protection of the Indian government, residing in an undisclosed location reportedly in the state of West Bengal.

Indian officials have not publicly confirmed her whereabouts, but diplomatic sources suggest that New Delhi agreed to host her on humanitarian grounds following quiet negotiations between the two countries last year. The decision was met with mixed reactions domestically in India and within Bangladesh’s political class.

“She remains an important figure for many, and her presence in India is a reminder of the fragile peace between our nations,” one Indian official familiar with the arrangement told this publication on condition of anonymity.

A Divided Legacy

Sheikh Hasina’s political legacy remains deeply polarising. Supporters credit her with overseeing a decade of economic growth, infrastructure development, and international diplomacy. Critics, however, cite her government’s record on press freedom, suppression of dissent, and the weakening of democratic institutions.

The current Bangladeshi transitional government, led by an interim technocratic council, has promised to deliver free and fair elections by early 2026 and establish an independent truth and reconciliation commission to examine past abuses.

But public trust remains fragile.

“There has been no justice, no accountability,” said Tahmina Rahman, a university student who lost a friend during the 2024 protests. “We are back on the streets not just to remember — but to make sure this never happens again.”

As the sun sets today, candlelight vigils are expected in dozens of districts, and chants of “Shob shesh noy” (It’s not over) — the rallying cry of last year’s protests — will once again echo through Bangladesh’s public squares.