Per week after Bangladesh’s long-time chief, Sheikh Hasina, was deposed, there is a sense of cautious optimism within the capital of Khaka because the interim authorities begins rebuilding the nation.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
It has been every week since a scholar motion in Bangladesh toppled that nation’s chief, the autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. That is the sound of protesters overrunning her residence. It appears, although, that life has already largely returned to regular, not less than within the capital, Dhaka. Our correspondent Diaa Hadid is there proper now to provide us a way of what the nation seems like every week after the prime minister fled on a army helicopter. Hey there, Diaa.
DIAA HADID, BYLINE: Hey.
KELLY: Hello. So I’ve been so curious what life there seems and appears like. I do know you have been on the streets. Inform me what you are seeing.
HADID: Nicely, Dhaka’s well-known gridlock is again however with a twist. It is a metropolis of Gen Z, the youngsters and younger adults who overthrew the previous prime minister. And now, they’re on each road nook, directing site visitors in a metropolis of greater than 10 million folks. And these are woman scouts with braids, youngsters with pimples, plenty of younger males, ladies in headscarves, and so they’ve bought whistles, sticks, stop-go indicators, and motorists obey them.
At one massive intersection, it was like they had been conducting this chaotic ballet after they needed to cease site visitors on all sides for an ambulance to punch by way of. Have a hear.
(SOUNDBITE OF AMBULANCE SIREN)
HADID: It was nuts. They’re on the streets as a result of the police melted away after Sheikh Hasina fled the nation. The police had been blamed for the violent crackdown on protesters that killed greater than 300 folks. And these police are filtering again now, however they’re vastly outnumbered by college students on the streets. And these college students are additionally throughout portray revolutionary murals like Mumtahana Munir Mitti. She’s 19 and research engineering. And he or she says her era was lengthy dismissed.
MUMTAHANA MUNIR MITTI: We youth should not solely the era of Fb, YouTube and Instagram. We additionally love our nation. And we additionally like to take part in rebuilding of our nation.
KELLY: Like to take part in rebuilding. I imply, she sounds joyful, Diaa. I am imagining, although, there should even be worry, nervousness, a lot change occurring directly. What are folks telling you?
HADID: Yeah. In fact, individuals are fearful about their security. There isn’t any police on the market. Nevertheless it’s a very energetic concern for Hindus. They quantity about 13 million folks in a rustic that is overwhelmingly Muslim. And we had been out in a Hindu-dominated quarter right now. It is well-known for its gold jewellery market. However many Hindu sellers have not put out their jewellery shows. They’re afraid. They are saying they’re significantly weak as a result of they’re seen as sympathetic to the previous prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. She’s a lady who’s overtly despised, and but many Hindus I spoke to stated they felt protected below her rule. They usually’re unsure if the following authorities might be as sympathetic to them.
KELLY: Nicely, and earlier than we get to the following authorities, simply who’s operating issues now? There’s an interim authorities?
HADID: Sure. The interim authorities is led by the Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. He is broadly revered by Bangladeshis, which is sweet as a result of he is bought a large job. He and his authorities should rebuild the police. They have to undertake deep authorized reforms. They have to organize for the following elections. They’ve additionally bought to maintain the lights on, the trains operating. There’s lots of transferring elements. And analysts and diplomats I’ve spoken to are nervous that the crew round Yunus would not have the coverage expertise or political chops to navigate all of this.
KELLY: Nicely, and another factor I used to be questioning about, which is the financial system. How is the financial system doing with all this upheaval?
HADID: Proper. Nicely, the factor is there’s lots of expectations out right here as a result of the financial system right here was battered due to COVID and rising inflation. And so right now we had been talking to a rickshaw bike owner, and he instructed us his daughter’s caught at dwelling as a result of he cannot afford to ship her off to school. He cannot afford to marry her off both. His son is 16, not in class, unemployed. He says his household’s caught. He desires the federal government to make meals cheaper and create jobs, and that is echoed all throughout town. It is onerous to think about how one interim authorities can pull all this off. And so Bangladeshis proper now are ready, however for the way lengthy?
KELLY: NPR’s Diaa Hadid bringing us the sounds and sights from Dhaka in Bangladesh. Thanks, Diaa.
HADID: Thanks, Mary Louise.
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