How Sheikh Hasina's Life And Politics Have Shaped Bangladesh: 10 Key Points

The general election on Sunday, January 7, is set to be faced by Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and it is widely expected that she will emerge victorious, a result that critics argue could further tighten her grip on power after a 15-year rule. The polls are being boycotted by Hasina's main rival, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which claims that her government cannot ensure a fair vote.

This move makes it increasingly likely that the 76-year-old premier will secure her fourth consecutive and fifth overall term in office. Supporters of Hasina assert that she, along with her Awami League, has provided them with a country experiencing growth in industry and thriving development projects. The stability she has maintained is credited with preventing military coups that have historically disrupted the young, predominantly Muslim nation strategically positioned between India and Myanmar, reported FirstPost.

Here are the top 10 points on Sheikh Hasina's transformative journey in Bangladesh

1. Hasina's political journey commenced with violence when, on August 15, 1975, a group of military officers orchestrated a coup that resulted in the assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujib Rahman, the inaugural leader of independent Bangladesh.
2. The traumatic incident, claiming the lives of nearly her entire family, is believed to have propelled Hasina to consolidate unprecedented power, influencing her political career, as noted by Avinash Paliwal, a senior lecturer at SOAS University of London.
3. Motivated by the vision her father had for the nation after defeating Pakistan in 1971, Hasina aimed to fulfill his incomplete work, according to a source closely associated with her, speaking on condition of anonymity.
4. After living in exile in India, Hasina returned to Bangladesh, assuming leadership of the Awami League. However, she faced periods of house detention orchestrated by the country's military rulers throughout the 1980s.
5. Subsequent to general elections in 1996, Hasina became the prime minister for the first time, marking the beginning of a prolonged power struggle with former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, currently ailing and under house arrest.
6. The alternating leadership between Hasina and Zia fueled a bitter rivalry, polarizing Bangladesh, with accusations from Hasina that the BNP courted hardline extremists, while Zia's BNP claimed oppressive tactics by the Awami League.
7. Hasina's focus since her reelection in 2008 has been on economic development and unprecedented infrastructure projects, including power lines, highways, rail lines, ports, and a globally competitive garment industry.
8. Despite showcasing achievements like Dhaka's metro and the country's longest bridge, inaugurated in 2021, recent global economic challenges have exposed cracks in Bangladesh's economy, triggering labor unrest and dissatisfaction.
9. Critics argue that Hasina's government employs harsh measures to suppress dissent, curtail civil society, and restrict press freedoms, with allegations of forced disappearances of critics, which the government denies.
10. The 2018 election, led by the Awami League alliance, faced allegations of widespread vote-rigging, and the BNP asserts that about 20,000 of its members have been arrested on trumped-up charges ahead of the upcoming vote. There are concerns about a perceived autocratic slide in Hasina's decision-making, potentially solidifying a one-party state. Voters, like Dhaka resident Tamanna Rahman, feel Hasina lacks real challengers, leading to a sense of limited options for the electorate.

Internationally, Hasina has adeptly navigated relationships with powerful countries, balancing support for both India and China amid their border standoff. Her strategic approach has secured infrastructure investments from Beijing and New Delhi. Furthermore, she received international acclaim for offering shelter to Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar in 2017, despite facing criticism for human rights concerns in Bangladesh.

The United States, a significant market for Bangladeshi garments, announced visa restrictions on those disrupting Bangladesh's electoral process, citing concerns over human rights violations and press freedoms. This pressure was evident during a recent news conference where Hasina asserted authority, warning against excessive dialogue.