How students toppled Bangladesh’s despot

On Monday, Bangladesh’s long-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned and fled the country by helicopter to India. Parliament was dissolved the following day. It came after weeks of protest by students demanding reform of the quota system for government jobs. Violent clashes led to more than 300 people being killed.

To see the tables turned on an all-powerful ruler is, for those of us who have been living under an authoritarian regime, extraordinary. Thousands have been celebrating this week on the streets of Dhaka.

At the time of writing, 76-year-old Hasina remains a forlorn figure. She has been trying, with no success so far, to find a country that will grant her asylum. The US has reportedly cancelled her visa; the UK is dragging its feet on her asylum request.

For those unfamiliar with Bangladesh, it’s hard to explain just what a titanic figure she was and how single-handedly she has dominated the political landscape.