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Student-Led Party, BNP Hold Rallies in Dhaka Marking One Year Since Hasina’s Ouster
Student-led and BNP rallies in Dhaka mark one year since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, as new political forces emerge amid ongoing uncertainty over Bangladesh’s democratic transition.
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A newly formed political party led by students who spearheaded the anti-government movement that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a major rally in Dhaka on Sunday, pledging to build a “new Bangladesh” as the nation faces continued political uncertainty ahead of the next election.
On the same day, thousands of supporters of the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) also gathered in the capital. BNP leaders vowed to restore democracy following Hasina’s fall and called for mobilizing young voters ahead of upcoming elections.
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The rallies occurred just two days before the interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, marks the anniversary of Hasina’s ouster. Hasina fled to India on August 5 of the previous year following a mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule. Yunus assumed leadership three days later, promising to stabilize the country after weeks of violence that resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.
The shifting political landscape in Bangladesh, with the banning of Hasina’s Awami League and unresolved tensions surrounding election timing, has raised concerns about the nation's direction—whether toward democratic reform or deepening unrest.
Speaking at the Shaheed Minar memorial, a symbolic site in Dhaka, a leader of the new student-led party recalled the uprising that led to the fall of Hasina’s government. “Exactly one year ago, at this Shaheed Minar, we vowed to free this country from the hands of dictatorship. By responding to that call, we together defeated the fascist rule and regained control of our country,” he said.
He announced the party’s intention to adopt a new constitution, replacing the one established in 1972 after Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan. The existing constitution was crafted under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father and the country’s founding leader. “Let us all unite and transform this historic 24-point agenda into reality to build a new Bangladesh — a Bangladesh that fulfills the dreams of all citizens, as we move toward the formation of our second republic,” he declared.
Elsewhere in Dhaka, supporters of the BNP’s student wing rallied as acting party chairman Tarique Rahman addressed the crowd online from London, where he has lived in exile since 2008. Rahman urged his followers to engage with young voters in preparation for the next election. He is expected to return to Bangladesh ahead of the vote.
Since Hasina’s departure, Bangladesh’s interim government has struggled to maintain order amid accusations of failing to curb mob violence and uphold human rights. The country remains deeply divided as it confronts the challenges of forming a new democratic order.
