Sheikh Hasina’s best advisers were not with her when she needed them the most during the student agitation Premium

Sheikh Hasina's political journey marked by changing alliances and advisers, culminating in isolation and reinvention as Prime Minister.

As the Prime Minister-ship of Sheikh Hasina came to an end on August 5, a predominant sentiment in the Awami League is that there were tell-tale signs of weakening of the consultation process within the party that was built on friendship and camaraderie. The sign of systemic weakening came rather dramatically soon after Prime Minister Hasina returned from China cutting short a visit that was planned over several months. By the time Ms. Hasina returned from Beijing on July 10, the forces that would ultimately cause her overthrow had mobilised themselves.

The initial reports suggested that her abrupt return was caused by China’s refusal to provide a major financial package to Bangladesh. However, the speculation over the visit to Beijing was soon replaced by the anti-quota movement by the students who were demanding reform in the employment reservation that dedicated nearly 30% government employment for descendants of the freedom fighters of 1971.

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As the tense exchanges between the government and the students began, Ms. Hasina startled the students by calling them ‘razakars’. Ms. Hasina has a reputation for blunt talks and she has often used that to address her political opponents, but the use of the term ‘razakar” for young college students did not go down with the civil society as ‘razakar’ is a term meant exclusively for those who opposed freedom of Bangladesh in 1971 and sided with the Pakistani forces.

There were critical remarks about the Prime Minister’s intemperate language about young students on the social media which indicated that Ms. Hasina, despite her unprecedented return to power for a fourth time, was a lonely figure deserted by her finest advisers who had been with her during her journey to power over the last four decades.

The role of close advisers in shaping the younger Sheikh Hasina into a wise politician was seen more clearly during 2019 when the Government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought in the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that was aimed at giving minority non-Muslims of Bangladesh (and also Pakistan and Afghanistan) the right to seek refuge in India in case of atrocity in their place of birth.

As the Indian Parliament discussed the law and anti-CAA protests broke out in Delhi, Assam and other places, the Government of Bangladesh maintained a studied silence.