With her fleeing the country, the long-reigning government of Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh collapsed on August 5, 2024.
As the political landscape undergoes a seismic shift, leaders of Awami League blame a tight inner circle for Hasina’s downfall, with many now in hiding and fearing retribution from opposition forces, reports The Indian Express.
"Gang of Four"
According to multiple Awami League leaders, four individuals played a pivotal role in isolating Sheikh Hasina from the ground realities, leading to her eventual exit. This group, dubbed the "Gang of Four," includes her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, her advisor Salman F Rahman, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan.
"They cut her off from the people," an Awami League leader told The Indian Express, attributing Hasina's loss of political instinct to her reliance on the four. The leader noted that this coterie had led her astray, making critical decisions that alienated both party members and the general populace.
Mistakes and Missteps
One of the most significant mistakes cited by Awami League insiders was the failure to engage with the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ahead of the January 2024 elections. Attempts were made to establish a backchannel with BNP leader Tarique Rahman in London, but Hasina’s refusal to greenlight the proposal is now seen as a critical error, the report said.
Following their fourth consecutive win in January 2024, Hasina and her advisers grew increasingly overconfident, leading to a series of unpopular decisions. A major flashpoint was the government's response to the quota reform protests, which saw students take to the streets in defiance of curfew orders. The decision to suppress these protests, including the detention and intimidation of student leaders, only fueled the public's anger.
The Fallout
On August 5, as protests intensified, Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana fled the country. Her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy remains in the US, while her daughter Saima Wazed is reportedly in India. Party leaders and activists remain vulnerable to retribution.
One Awami League leader recounted how his family narrowly escaped being lynched by an angry mob. "We got out of our home just in time when the Army chief was addressing the nation," he said. The violence that erupted across the country saw the homes and businesses of Awami League leaders looted, vandalized, and burned.
Fearing for their lives, many Awami League members sought refuge in Army cantonments. According to a statement from the Bangladesh Army, 626 people, including political leaders, judges, civil servants, and police officers, were given shelter in various military facilities across the country.
Future of Awami League
With Hasina gone and the party leadership either underground or arrested, the Awami League faces an existential crisis. Leaders are now grappling with how to rebuild the party, which had governed Bangladesh for 16-and-a-half years, the report said.
One senior leader emphasized the need to appoint younger leaders with strong grassroots connections to restore the party’s credibility. However, they acknowledged that this would be a long and difficult process, given the public's current hostility towards the party.
"The Hasina family should remain silent for now," one leader advised, noting that people’s anger was still fresh. "We need time. In a few years, whether under the interim government or a future BNP or Jamaat-led administration, we can rebuild. But it will take time and patience."