Kolkata, Aug 2 (PTI) Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen on Sunday drew a parallel between Delhi’s CJP-led protest against exam irregularities and the 2024 stir that ousted Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League regime and said the student movement in Dhaka “fooled us”.
Speaking to reporters here, a day after an event Taslima attended here faced brief disruption owing to protests from a section of the audience, the acclaimed writer said she did not follow what was happening at Jantar Mantar, but a small video clip of the protest “reminded me of the July 2024 students’ movement in Bangladesh”.
“It was like that. That student movement in Bangladesh fooled us. Because we thought the students wanted to abolish the quota system. Sheikh Hasina had also agreed to their demands, but ultimately the government fell. Later, we found that jihadis (Islamic fundamentalists) were behind that movement. The fallout has not been good for Bangladesh. Jihadis have taken over power there,” Nasreen said.
She said the developments in Bangladesh after the protests had reinforced her concerns about the consequences of such movements.
That Bangladesh protest of 2024 should serve as a lesson, the author said.
A massive student-led protest ousted Hasina’s Awami League regime on August 5, 2024. Since then, she has been living in exile in New Delhi as an Interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took charge three days later.
The country went through a phase of political uncertainty, while minority communities, including Hindus, have repeatedly raised concerns over their security. In February this year, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Tarique Rahman secured a sweeping victory in a landmark parliamentary election, leading to him becoming the prime minister. PTI SCH NSD
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