Sheikh Hasina had visited India twice in June, was longest-serving PM in history of Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina, who resigned as PM on Monday in the wake of violent countrywide protests, served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from June 1996 to July 2001 and again from January 2009 until August 2024. She is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father and first president of Bangladesh. 

Sheikh Hasina visited India twice in June this year, within a span of 12 days. She came to India first New Delhi on June 9 during the newly re-elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oath-taking ceremony. Her second trip from June 21-22 involved interactions with the Indian President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, PM Modi, and the Indian Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar.

With a combined tenure of over 20 years, she holds the record as the longest-serving Prime Minister in the history of Bangladesh. Prior to her departure from office today, she was recognized as the world's longest-serving female head of government.

As the autocratic regime of Hussain Muhammad Ershad came to an end, Hasina, the leader of the Awami League (AL), lost the 1991 election to Khaleda Zia, with whom she had previously collaborated against Ershad. 

Hasina became PM following the June 1996 election

Hasina became prime minister following the June 1996 election. During her first term, the country began to experience economic growth and a decline in poverty, although it remained politically turbulent. Her first term ended in July 2001 after an electoral defeat by Zia, marking the first full five-year term for a Bangladeshi prime minister since the country gained independence.

Hasina won the 2008 election and was re-elected for a third term in 2014. In 2017, after nearly a million Rohingya fled to Bangladesh to escape genocide in Myanmar, Hasina received commendation for providing them refuge and assistance. She secured her fourth term following the 2018 election.

Played a pivotal role in guiding Bangladesh away from military rule

Sheikh Hasina played a pivotal role in guiding Bangladesh away from military rule, but her tenure has also been marked by significant political repression, including the mass arrest of opposition figures. Since July, the country has witnessed widespread protests, initially sparked by university students opposing civil service job quotas, which have escalated into some of the most severe unrest during her 15 years in power, with calls for her resignation.

Critics of her administration allege numerous human rights violations, including the assassination of opposition activists. As the daughter of a revolutionary leader who played a key role in Bangladesh's independence, Hasina has overseen rapid economic growth in the country.

Last year, she vowed to transform Bangladesh into a "prosperous and developed country," although government statistics indicate that approximately 18 million young people remain unemployed.

Steered Bangladesh through a significant economic transformation

Supporters commend Hasina for steering Bangladesh through a significant economic transformation, primarily driven by a largely female workforce in the garment industry. Since gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971, the country has averaged over six percent economic growth annually since 2009. Poverty rates have declined dramatically, with over 95 percent of the population having access to electricity, and per capita income surpassing that of India in 2021.

However, her administration's crackdown on dissent has fostered domestic discontent and raised alarms abroad.