The night before Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s sudden resignation and departure to India, an online meeting was held by top military officials, chaired by Army Chief General Waqar Zaman. According to Reuters, the decision was made that military personnel would not open fire on civilians to enforce a curfew.
Immediately after the meeting on Sunday night, General Waqar Zaman left for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s residence. The Army Chief informed Sheikh Hasina in her office that the military personnel would not comply with her orders for a nationwide lockdown or curfew.
Bangladesh Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Samiul Doula Chaudhary confirmed the high-level military meeting on Sunday, but described it as a routine emergency meeting. When Reuters pressed the army spokesman for more details, he declined to provide further information.
A senior Indian official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, stated that Sheikh Hasina received a clear message from General Waqar Zaman that she no longer had the army’s support.
Reuters spoke to several informed sources about the recent events in Bangladesh, including four senior military officers and two other officials. Most provided information on the condition of anonymity.
Details of the high-level military meeting and the subsequent message to Sheikh Hasina of the army’s non-cooperation were not previously disclosed. These details shed light on how Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year-long rule suddenly ended, leading to her resignation and hasty departure to India.
The student movement against the quota system in government jobs had escalated into violent protests demanding Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. The most violent day was Sunday, with clashes, police brutality, and rioting resulting in around 91 deaths.
Following dozens of deaths, Sheikh Hasina’s government decided to impose a nationwide curfew, announced by the military. According to three former senior military officers, the severity of the protests and the resulting governmental actions, causing nearly 300 deaths, made it difficult for the military to continue supporting Sheikh Hasina.
Former Brigadier General Sakhawat Hussain told Reuters that there was significant unrest among military personnel. This unrest likely increased pressure on the Army Chief. Military personnel on duty could see everything happening on the streets.
Two days before Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, Army Chief General Waqar Zaman hinted on Saturday that military support for the Prime Minister was waning. Notably, General Waqar is related to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He is the son-in-law of former Army Chief General Mustafizur Rahman, who was a cousin of Sheikh Hasina’s father and Bangladesh’s founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. General Mustafiz led the Bangladesh Army from 1997 to 2000 during Sheikh Hasina’s first term as Prime Minister.
On Saturday, General Waqar Zaman addressed junior officers in a meeting attended by many uniformed officers. Seated on a wooden ornate chair, the Army Chief emphasized patience and the protection of civilian lives. This was the first indication that the military would not help suppress the protests by force, marking the beginning of the end for Sheikh Hasina’s rule.
