The fall and the subsequent flight of Sheikh Hasina should hold a cautionary tale for dictators and elected autocrats across the world. The genesis of the people's coup was the student's protest against the 30% government job quota for kin of veterans who fought in the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. This reservation was prima facie discriminatory meant to favour Awami League supporters and to shore up Hasina's dwindling vote base. Over course of time the stir turned violent claiming the lives of 200 people. It is pertinent to note that the second wave of protests was fuelled by the jobless youth who were impacted by the arbitrary quota ; there are 30 million jobless Bangla youth in a population of 170 million. Sheikh Hasina who got elected for a 4th term on the back of rigged elections and boycott by the opposition has since fled to India and is safe for the time being. There are chilling parallels with India where joblessness is rife and the unemployed youth are being fed with toxic Hindutva propaganda by the ruling establishment to divert their minds and create mayhem upon the minorities.
