Sheikh Hasina’s Final Hours in Dhaka: Resignation and Escape to India Amid Massive Unrest
New Delhi, 6th August 2024: On Monday, the crisis in Dhaka, Bangladesh, escalated rapidly. Thousands of protesters from the city’s outskirts converged on Gonobhobon, the Prime Minister’s official residence, demanding the resignation of PM Sheikh Hasina.
With a massive crowd advancing, officials estimated that Hasina had just 45 minutes before reaching her residence. Facing a critical decision, she debated whether to follow the advice of her advisors to avoid using force or to attempt an escape.
After hours of discussions and consultations, Sheikh Hasina, who had led Bangladesh since 2009, opted to flee. Before this decision, there were extensive deliberations and phone calls.
This report details the final hours of Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, her decision-making process, and her eventual escape to India.
To maintain her position, Sheikh Hasina, until the very end, tried to retain power through various means, as reported by the Dhaka-based newspaper Prothom Alo.
Before her departure, she exerted significant pressure on top officials from law enforcement and military forces for about an hour, starting at 10:30 am on Monday.
By then, Dhaka’s streets leading to Gonobhobon were packed with one of the largest crowds ever seen in the country’s history. Student leaders had promised to storm Gonobhobon the previous day after at least 98 Bangladeshis were killed on Sunday.
Sheikh Hasina had struggled for three weeks to suppress the student-led protests and public unrest, despite deploying armed forces and party workers.
According to Prothom Alo, in her final hours before her resignation and escape, Hasina faced intense pressure from Awami League leaders, including a key aide, to hand over power to the military. Initially, she resisted this advice.
Instead, she imposed a strict curfew starting Monday, which included a complete internet shutdown across Bangladesh.
Despite efforts to enforce the curfew from dawn, protesters defied it, and by 9 am, the streets were filled with people. High-level sources revealed that around 10:30 am, the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Inspector General of Police were summoned to Gonobhobon.
Hasina expressed frustration over the security forces’ inability to manage the situation, criticizing their leniency with protesters who were vandalizing military vehicles. She also questioned why these officials, whom she had appointed, were not more effective.
The Inspector General of Police informed Hasina that the situation had reached a point where maintaining strict measures was no longer feasible. The officials argued that force alone could not control the unrest, but Hasina was reluctant to accept this.
Unable to convince her, officials turned to Hasina’s younger sister, Rehana, who then spoke with Hasina. Despite this, Hasina remained firm until her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, contacted her from abroad. Following their conversation, Hasina agreed to resign.
There was no time to record a farewell speech, as intelligence reports indicated that protesters from Shahbagh and Uttara were approaching Gonobhobon within 45 minutes.
Hasina was given 45 minutes to prepare for departure. She and Rehana arrived at the Tejgaon Air Base helipad, where some belongings were loaded. They then proceeded to Bongobhobon, where she formally resigned, ending her 15-year rule.
The helicopter carrying Hasina and her sister landed at a Border Security Force (BSF) helipad in Agartala, India, shortly after crossing the border. She later arrived at the Indian Air Force’s Hindon Air Base near New Delhi at 5:36 pm IST. Indian officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, greeted her, and she may continue her journey to London.
Hasina’s departure marks the end of an era for Bangladesh, opening a new chapter filled with uncertainties and potential opportunities. Her final moments in Dhaka were as dramatic as her rise to power.
