Bangladesh’s President, Mohammed Shahabuddin, has ordered the release of former Prime Minister and key opposition figure, Khaleda Zia, just hours after her arch-rival, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted and fled the country. The president’s press team announced on Monday that a meeting led by Shahabuddin had “unanimously decided to release the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Begum Khaleda Zia, immediately.”
The meeting included the Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, as well as the heads of the Navy and Air Force, along with leaders from several opposition parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. The 78-year-old Zia has served as Prime Minister twice and has health issues, currently being hospitalized after receiving a 17-year prison sentence for corruption in 2018. She was accused of misusing her power to embezzle $250,000 in donations that were intended for an orphanage. The BNP has claimed that the allegations were fabricated to keep Zia out of politics, a notion that Hasina’s government has dismissed.
In the presidential statement, it was also mentioned that all individuals arrested during recent student protests would be released. Over 2,000 people have been detained since last month amid violent street clashes over a job quota program, which quickly escalated into nationwide calls for Hasina to resign. Nearly 300 people have lost their lives in weeks of protests that authorities have sought to suppress. A night of violent clashes on Sunday resulted in almost 100 deaths, prompting the imposition of a curfew to quell the unrest.
General Waker-Uz-Zaman stated earlier on Monday that a temporary government would be formed and that the fatalities related to the protests would be investigated. “I assure you all that we will bring justice for all murders and injustices. We ask you to have faith in the country’s army. I take full responsibility and ensure you will not be disheartened,” said the general.
The military also announced that the curfew would be lifted on Tuesday morning, and offices, factories, schools, and colleges would reopen at 6:00 AM. According to Al Jazeera’s reporter in Dhaka, Tanvir Chowdhury, people on the streets expressed jubilation over Hasina’s exit, despite the violence, arrests, and curfew. “Just a few minutes ago, a military patrol told protesters to go home as the army was on their side. They said the protesters were protected and need not worry. But people still plan to remain on the streets, even if it is not very crowded,” he said.
Chowdhury added that the future of the country “depends on how the temporary government is formed, who its members are, and how acceptable it is to the public.” The military leadership faces a “very challenging task ahead,” according to Irene Khan, a UN Special Rapporteur. “We all hope that the transition will be peaceful, and that there will be accountability for all the human rights violations that have occurred.”