One year ago, on July 1, 2024, university students in Bangladesh ignited a movement that would shake the foundations of the country’s political landscape. What began as protests against a controversial civil service quota system spiraled into mass demonstrations, violent crackdowns, and ultimately, the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule.
The unrest exposed deep dissatisfaction with Hasina’s government, accused of authoritarianism, widespread human rights abuses, and rigged elections. The tipping point came in early August 2024, when protesters stormed the prime minister’s palace. Hasina fled to India as the military, led by General Waker-Uz-Zaman, seized control and established a caretaker administration.
In a surprising turn, Nobel laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus returned from years of political sidelining to lead the interim government. At 85, Yunus described inheriting a broken public administration and launched sweeping institutional reforms to rebuild democracy and prevent a return to authoritarianism.
Under Yunus’s leadership, trials began for Hasina and top figures in her administration. Charged in absentia with crimes against humanity for the violent crackdown on protests, Hasina rejected the charges from her self-imposed exile in India. Her party, the Awami League, was subsequently banned pending the trials’ outcomes.
As reforms slowly progressed, political tensions simmered. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), considered the leading contender in upcoming elections, called for a December 2025 vote. However, Yunus insisted on finalizing institutional changes before elections, initially setting a June 2026 timeline.
Facing mounting pressure, Yunus has since agreed to step down after polls, now tentatively set for early April 2026. The BNP is pushing for even earlier elections, ideally before Ramadan begins in February.
The road ahead remains uncertain, but Bangladesh stands at a crossroads. With thousands killed in last year’s unrest and the country’s political system still fragile, the upcoming elections are seen as a critical test of whether the South Asian nation can transition to a stable and inclusive democracy or slide back into autocratic rule.
