Bangladesh shuts down main opposition newspaper
GuardianMAY 2023
For years, Hasina's government offered an apparent economic development in exchange for crushing dissent, silencing free speech, and closing the democratic space. Because Bangladesh's economy is now in a critical condition, it's no surprise that thousands joined opposition protests to demand her resignation — especially because elections under a neutral caretaker used to be the norm in the country until 2011.
The opposition is willing to drag Bangladesh into chaos not only by insisting on the transfer of power to an unelected government based on a provision ruled unconstitutional more than a decade ago but also by causing unrest and escalating violence. Given that the BNP has traditionally resorted to confrontations, the current protests cast doubts on the party's true commitment to democratic principles.