On August 5, 2024, a historic event took place in Bangladesh when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country after 16 years in power. His departure was not the result of regular elections or a peaceful change of power but the result of a student-led uprising. This change, which ended up ousting the longest-serving female prime minister in the world, marked a major change in politics in the country. The rise of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, in leadership symbolizes a new chapter for Bangladesh. However, the root of this revolt is rooted in the ongoing injustice that plagued the country during Hasina’s rule.
Throughout his tenure, Bangladesh faced extrajudicial killings, legal torture, enforced disappearances, rampant corruption and the marginalization of political dissidents. These issues, combined with the nation’s sharp divisions based on political ideologies, create an atmosphere of frustration and disappointment. The uprising that forced Hasina from office is a stark reminder of a broader lesson of history: injustice, when left unchecked, leads to rebellion.
To understand this, one has to look back to the history of Bengal, which sheds light on the enduring relationship between injustice and social change. Bengal, unlike most parts of the Indian subcontinent, was not a Muslim-majority region. In fact, the 1872 census revealed that nearly 50 percent of Bengal’s population was Muslim, while in Delhi, the center of Muslim rule, Muslims were only 11 percent. This demographic change raises the question: what led to the massive conversion of Hindus to Islam in Bengal?
Theologians suggest that the appeal of Islam in Bengal lies in its promise of equality in the sense of Muslim brotherhood. In a region marked by the strict hierarchies of the Hindu caste system, where the lower castes were systematically oppressed, Islam provided an inclusive social order. Those who feel marginalized and degraded by the caste system find refuge in the egalitarianism of Islam. A sense of injustice—rooted in hardline Hindu caste rule—thus played an important role in the conversion of many Bengalis to Islam, highlighting how injustice can drive radical social change.
This theme of injustice as a catalyst for change can also be seen in the partition of British India in 1947. the creation of Pakistan. The feeling of being treated unfairly and the fear of continued subjugation under Hindu-majority India prompted the Muslim community to seek a nation of its own.
The creation of Bangladesh in 1971 was similarly driven by a sense of injustice. East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, suffered from financial exploitation, political discrimination, and denial of democratic rights by the ruling authorities in West Pakistan. When power was transferred to a select group in East Pakistan, a sense of betrayal and injustice fueled the independence movement that eventually led to the creation of an independent Bangladesh. The pattern is clear: all major changes in the region’s history were caused by injustices that the ruling regimes either ignored or perpetuated.
Fast forward to 2024, and the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government followed a similar trajectory. Under the Awami League regime, injustice was rampant. Citizens were systematically tortured, corruption continued unchecked, and political dissent was severely suppressed. The ruling party’s failure to address these grievances and its efforts to consolidate power by undermining dissent pushed people to the brink. When dialogue and peaceful protest failed, revolution became inevitable.
An important lesson from Bangladesh’s history—and indeed, from other turning points in world history—is that continued injustice paves the way for chaos. Governments that allow corruption, oppression, and inequality to flourish create the conditions for their downfall. In any democratic government, or any state, it is important to face injustice directly, to ensure that all citizens feel included and valued in the social and political life of the nation.
Building an inclusive society is the only way to avoid the cycle of injustice and revolution. This requires creating mechanisms for dialogue, consensus, and change, as well as using education to foster a culture of empathy, understanding, and mutual respect. If the citizens see that they have a contribution to the nation and that their voices are heard, the chances of change are reduced.
In addition, the success of any revolution depends on the cultural readiness of the people. Changes can be caused by injustice, but their results are influenced by collective understanding and people’s readiness to accept change. In the case of Bangladesh, the cultural power of the student-led movement, and the symbolic leadership of someone like Dr. Muhammad Yunus, were important factors in ensuring that the revolution succeeds in bringing meaningful change. But, the legacy of long-term indiscipline is difficult to overcome.
That said, the recent revolution in Bangladesh is a powerful reminder that injustice, if left unaddressed, sows the seeds of resistance and rebellion. From the conversion of Hindus 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, change lags behind.
Further Studies in E-International Relations
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