Bangladesh saw nationwide student-led demonstrations during July and August which were met by brutal police crackdowns in which hundreds of people were killed or seriously injured. The protests were followed by a political upheaval that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and were driven by frustration with her long-standing government, seen as autocratic and plagued by corruption within her Awami League party.
Hasina’s administration had overseen substantial economic growth – 6 to 7 per cent per year over the past decade – which lent legitimacy to her rule. Yet the benefits did not reach enough of the population. What sparked the protests were the limited job opportunities offered to the young.
