Republished
Bangladesh at A Critical Post-Hasina Crossroads
Conservative religious parties like Jamaat-e-Islami may seize on power vacuum to stoke religious, ethnic and other divisions Sheikh Hasina ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for…
Analysis
Myanmar’s Junta has Suffered A Humiliating Military Defeat. Could It be A Turning Point in The War?
My recent research trip to the Thai town of Mae Sot on the Myanmar border coincided with two big events. The heavens opened for several days…
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Nurturing and Destroying Democracy: The Two Sides of Bangladesh’s Ousted Awami League
The word “Awami,” which derives from the Arabic noun “Awam,” means “of the people” in Bangla. The word is found in many languages, including Azerbaijani, Farsi,…
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Bangladesh’s Protests Explained: What Led to PM’s Ouster and The Challenges That Lie Ahead
What sparked the demonstrations in Bangladesh? The protests stem from long-running resentment over a quota system that saw 56% of government positions in Bangladesh reserved for…
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An Ambassador’s Legacy
By the time the former US ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, concluded his term, the nation was already a powder keg. Just a few days after…
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Sheikh Hasina’s Downfall and Exile are of Her Own Making
The Bangladeshi leader’s delusional belief in her own invincibility precipitated her downfall amid a Gen Z revolution. After weeks of antigovernment protests, on August 5, Bangladesh’s…
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Hasina is out. Yunus is in. Here are The Three Biggest Factors to Watch in Bangladesh.
The spectacular and rapid fall of Sheikh Hasina and her regime, followed by her ignominious exit from Bangladesh on August 5, is not only unprecedented in…
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Iron Lady’s Ouster
Looking back at events that caused Hasina’s dramatic fall, it’s clear that a series of miscalculations, driven by an arrogance typical of a leader disconnected from…
Analysis
People’s Power in BD
PEOPLE’S power has toppled one more authoritarian regime. Another bloody day in Bangladesh ended in triumph for the uprising in that country. Defying a nationwide curfew,…
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The Victory of Bangladesh’s Student Movement Should Not Surprise Anyone
It seemed the students toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in five short weeks, but this revolution was 15 years in the making. Twenty-five-year-old Abu Sayed,…
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Lessons of Political Arrogance from Dhaka Need to be Heeded in New Delhi
It is the historic conceit of every autocrat to think they would be able to bring unprecedented prosperity and peace in their land if only they…
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Bangladesh at The Crossroads: What’s Next After Hasina’s Dramatic Exit?
As the interim government works to fill a power vacuum, the country's future hinges on political stability, economic recovery, and avoiding further violence. The future of…