Bangladesh Parliament Dissolved; Opponents Demand Interim Government Led by Nobel Peace Prize Winner

The President of Bangladesh dissolved the parliament one day after Sheikh Hasina resigned from the prime ministership and fled to India. The Bangladeshi presidential office announced this decision on Tuesday, August 7. Student leaders of the protests had issued an ultimatum that if the parliament was not dissolved, there would be severe actions. According to the Associated Press from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, one of the main organizers of the student protests on Tuesday called on Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, to take over the leadership of the interim government. Muhammad Shahabuddin, the president whose position is ceremonial, and General Wakerul Zaman, the commander of the Bangladesh army, stated on Monday night after a meeting that the interim government would be formed 'soon' and would oversee new elections. The army commander, who has held this responsibility for a month, has temporarily taken control of the country. The army has significant political influence in Bangladesh, a country that has faced over 20 military coups or attempted coups since its independence 53 years ago. The end of Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule in Bangladesh came with her resignation and flight from the country. Muhammad Yunus, whom the student leaders have called to take over the interim government, referred to Hasina's resignation as 'the second great day of freedom' for his country after independence. Yunus, an entrepreneur who won the Nobel Peace Prize 18 years ago for his initiatives in micro-lending, became aware of the developments in his country while attending the Paris Olympics on Monday. Yunus has been a long-time opponent of Hasina's government and was tried on corruption charges, which he attributed to revenge. The main opposition party in Bangladesh called on the people on Tuesday to remain restrained during this 'transitional moment in the democratic path' of the country. Tariq Rahman, the interim leader of the opposition party, wrote on X that if the people decide to take the law into their own hands without a legal process, 'the revolutionary spirit that overthrew Hasina's illegitimate and autocratic regime will be defeated.' Local sources reported that just hours before Hasina's resignation and departure, 109 people were killed by government forces, including 14 police officers among the victims. Hundreds were also reported injured on Monday, but independent sources could not verify these reports. Reports indicated that about 600 prisoners escaped from a prison in the Satkhira area in southwestern Bangladesh on Monday evening after protesters attacked police and security agency headquarters. Reports suggest that police in Dhaka evacuated most of their headquarters after protesters attacked them, setting these locations on fire, and moved their forces to an army barrack in the capital. After a day of protesters occupying the Prime Minister's office and residence, which was accompanied by widespread looting, the Associated Press reported that the situation in Dhaka had returned to relative calm on Tuesday. Looters swam in the pool of Hasina's residence, put their feet on her desk, lay in her bed, and before the army forced them to leave, they stole paintings, flower pots, and chickens from the residence's yard, taking selfies during their actions. After thousands of Bangladeshi protesters defied the military government's regulations and attacked the Prime Minister's official residence, Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position after 15 years in power and fled to India. The Dhaka airport suspended flight operations for eight hours on Monday. Despite the protesters' satisfaction with Hasina's resignation and flight, concerns about further instability in Bangladesh have become apparent. Bangladesh, the most populous country in South Asia, faces a deep crisis of unemployment, corruption, and severe climate changes leading to deadly floods and storms. The 76-year-old Hasina, who took office for the fourth time seven months ago in an election boycotted by the opposition, met with Ajit Doval, India's National Security Advisor, on Monday night after fleeing to India. According to the Indian Express, Hasina has been moved to a safe house in New Delhi and is likely to head to the UK. Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who became the leader of the new country during Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan 53 years ago but was killed four years later during a military coup along with most of his family. Hasina and her sister, who were in Europe at the time, survived. The events in Bangladesh have attracted global attention, and Volker Turk, the UN Human Rights Commissioner, stated that the power transition must be based on the country's international commitments and with meaningful participation from all the people of Bangladesh.