A fresh start in Bangladesh?
After weeks of street protests, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and fled the country. Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is now to lead the government on an interim basis. The media discuss what the overthrow means - also for Europe.
A surprisingly peaceful transformation
The unexpected has finally happened, Avvenire comments with delight:
“Until three days ago, no one would have believed that Bangladesh - a country caught between military dictatorships and absolute rulers, between pride in its origins, always nurtured but sometimes betrayed, and the inability to break away from autocratic power - could experience such radical transformation. ... It was a genuine transition of power that, after bloody confrontations, was ultimately peaceful and - barring sudden twists and turns - owed much to the military and the will of the people. They recognised in a Nobel Peace Prize winner the guarantor figure, the only person who can accompany and guide the necessary transformation, at least initially.”
Why this also concerns Europe
The West should also take an interest in what goes on in Bangladesh, the Süddeutsche Zeitung points out:
“Millions of low-wage workers in the country's factories have sewn cheap clothes for the rich north of this world. ... The downturn in the textile industry since the pandemic has been one of the factors driving the current protests, because rising unemployment has fuelled resentment over the employment rates in the public sector, where the descendants of the freedom fighters [of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War] are given jobs. In a globalised society, everything is connected: fast fashion sold in Europe, the labour market in Bangladesh and a prime minister on the run.”
Dangerous power vacuum
Whether Bangladesh is headed for a democratic future remains uncertain, The Economist explains:
“Restoring constitutional order will be hard, partly because it is unclear who will fill the vacuum left by Sheikh Hasina's sudden departure. Her Awami League (al) party is discredited. Khaleda Zia, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (bnp) is 78 and unwell. The former prime minister's authoritarian rule also prevented the emergence of new, more liberal forces. Islamist parties, which have grown more potent in recent years, may seek to fill the gap. The challenge is all the greater because Bangladesh is now a geopolitical battleground between China, India and the West.”
Democracy must include the young
The students who have been taking to the streets for weeks must not be ignored now, De Volkskrant demands:
“Concerns about the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh are justified, given the recent experience in countries where a government was toppled as a result of youth protests. ... It is a hopeful sign when young people all over the world make their voices heard and mobilise to break with old, corrupt and non-inclusive political systems. Now they must also be included in the transition to democracy.”