On August 5, 2024, a historic moment unfolded in Bangladesh when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country after 16 years of rule. Her resignation was not the result of regular elections or a peaceful transfer of power, but the culmination of a massive student-led uprising. The revolution, which ultimately ousted the world’s longest-serving female prime minister, marked a major turning point in the country’s political landscape. The rise of Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus to the helm marked a new chapter for Bangladesh. But the roots of the uprising lie deep in the persistent injustices that have plagued the country during Hasina’s tenure.
During her rule, Bangladesh experienced widespread extrajudicial killings, judicial harassment, enforced disappearances, widespread corruption, and the marginalization of political dissidents. These problems, combined with the country’s sharp divisions along political ideologies, created a climate of frustration and disillusionment. The uprising that forced Hasina’s resignation is a stark reminder of a broader historical lesson: injustice, if left unchecked, inevitably leads to revolution.
To understand this, we need to look back at the history of Bengal, which illuminates the ongoing relationship between injustice and social change. Unlike much of the Indian subcontinent, Bengal was not traditionally a Muslim-majority region. In fact, the 1872 census estimated that about 50 percent of Bengal’s population was Muslim, compared to just 11 percent in Delhi, the center of Muslim rule. This demographic shift raises the question: Why did Hindus in Bengal convert to Islam in such large numbers?
Theorists suggest that the appeal of Islam in Bengal lay in its promise of equality through the concept of Muslim brotherhood. In a region characterized by the rigid hierarchy of the Hindu caste system, in which lower-caste individuals were systematically oppressed, Islam offered a more inclusive social order. Those who felt marginalized and dehumanized by the caste system found refuge in the egalitarian values of Islam. Thus, the sense of injustice rooted in the rigid Hindu caste hierarchy played a significant role in the conversion of many Bengalis to Islam, highlighting how injustice could lead to significant social change.
The theme of injustice as a catalyst for change is also evident in the partition of British India in 1947. Muslims in British India felt disadvantaged and marginalized under colonial rule, and this sense of injustice fueled the demand for a separate Muslim state, which led to the creation of Pakistan. Feelings of unfair treatment and fears of continued subjugation in Hindu-majority India drove the Muslim population to seek a state of their own.
The creation of Bangladesh in 1971 was also driven by a sense of injustice. East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, suffered from financial exploitation, political marginalization, and denial of democratic rights by the West Pakistani ruling party. When power was not transferred to the elected party of East Pakistan, the sense of betrayal and injustice sparked a liberation movement that ultimately led to the creation of independent Bangladesh. The pattern is clear. All major turning points in the history of the region have been triggered by injustices ignored or perpetuated by those in power.
Moving on to 2024, the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government followed a similar trajectory. Injustice was rampant under the Awami League. Citizens were systematically abused, corruption was unchecked, and political dissent was brutally suppressed. The ruling party’s failure to address these grievances and its attempts to consolidate power by marginalizing dissenting voices left the people in crisis. When dialogue and peaceful protests failed, revolution became inevitable.
The central lesson from Bangladesh’s history—and indeed from other revolutionary moments in world history—is that persistent injustice paves the way for upheaval. Governments that tolerate corruption, oppression, and inequality create the conditions for their own downfall. It is essential for any democratic government, or indeed any regime, to address injustice head-on so that all citizens feel included and valued in the social and political fabric of their country.
Creating an inclusive society is the only way to avoid the cycle of injustice and revolution. This requires creating mechanisms for dialogue, compromise, and reform, and fostering a culture of empathy, understanding, and mutual respect through education. If citizens have a stake in the state and feel that their voices are heard, the possibility of a revolutionary movement is reduced.
Moreover, the success of any revolution depends on the cultural readiness of the people. Revolutions may be triggered by injustice, but their outcomes are shaped by the collective consciousness and the readiness of the masses to accept change. In the case of Bangladesh, the cultural power of the student-led movement and the symbolic leadership of figures like Dr. Muhammad Yunus were important factors in the success of the revolution in bringing about meaningful change. However, the legacy of long-term misrule is difficult to overcome.
Yet the recent revolution in Bangladesh is a powerful reminder that when injustice is left unchecked, it inevitably sows the seeds of resistance and rebellion. From the Hindu conversion to Islam in Bengal centuries ago to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in 2024, history shows that those who feel marginalized and oppressed will eventually rise up against their oppressors. Governments that wish to avoid such uprisings must commit to justice, inclusion, and dialogue, because when injustice becomes the norm, revolution is not far away.
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