Sheikh Hasina: How did The Hero’s Daughter to Nation’s Villain – Her Biggest Challenge Awaits!

Sheikh Hasina: Awami League chief and three-time Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 77, resigned on Monday amid the army’s 45-minute ultimatum and left the violence-hit country for an unknown place. It is believed that this place will be familiar to her. Sheikh Hasina’s father was killed by Bangladesh Army officials, after which she suffered exile and then started her political journey.  

Sheikh Mujiburahman was a charismatic leader who gave freedom to East Pakistan and a new nation was born in the form of Bangladesh. However, his statue was also vandalised in the violence that took place in Bangladesh today. 

Awami League’s victory in the 1996 national election 

Sheikh Hasina was 28 years old when Mujibur Rahman was assassinated. She remained in exile from 1975 to 1981. During her exile, Sheikh Hasina became the head of the party founded by her father and returned to politics. 

Sheikh Hasina led the Awami League to victory in national elections in 1996 and became the first woman prime minister of Bangladesh. 

The initial years of his leadership saw tremendous development in Bangladesh’s economy and infrastructure. This was the reason that the standard of living of the people of Bangladesh, which was counted among the poorest countries in the world, changed rapidly. 

Sheikh Hasina accused of dictatorship and autocracy 

However, Sheikh Hasina’s strained relations with the judiciary and her handling of a long series of protests gave rise to a generation of critics who accused her of dictatorship and authoritarianism. Sheikh Hasina was accused of rigging her victory in the subsequent two elections, further fuelling controversies surrounding one of the country’s most prominent leaders at the time. 

Sheikh Hasina’s efforts to bring peace after 25 years of conflict in the Chittagong Hill Tracts were recognised by UNESCO with the Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize in 1998. 

Protest turned into demand for resignation 

The student protests in Bangladesh began a few weeks ago over the issue of giving quota in government jobs to the families of freedom fighters and the protests unexpectedly turned into a demand for his resignation. 

The violence followed military action and is seen by some as the final chapter in the political career of a leader who has seen the country through many ups and downs since he was born in 1947. 

This is the biggest challenge in front of Sheikh Hasina 

In her tumultuous career, Sheikh Hasina has faced grenade attacks and assassination attempts. She was placed under house arrest three times by the army. However, many believe it is still too early to write her political epitaph.

After the coup in Bangladesh, the biggest challenge before Sheikh Hasina is to negotiate with the army while staying away from her country, so that she can regain the legacy of her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Also, she can take over the command of Awami League again.

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