A law reserving some seats in government jobs for the kinfolk of those who fought in the national liberation struggle of 1971, triggered a mass movement of students opposing this move. The refusal of the government of Sheik Hasina to negotiate with the students and in stead use strong arm tactics including firing upon the demonstrations fuelled the movement further. It won wider support of people who faced the brunt of the erosion of democratic institutions and democratic rights and the rampant corruption prevailing in the country. The student movement itself was an indication of the intensifying problem of youth unemployment. As the movement took the form of mass uprising on the 4-5th of August 2024, the army refused to quell it and the Prime Minister had to flee the country to save herself. An interim government headed by Mohammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, has been installed with the promise of conducting free and fair elections. Even though the larger political agenda of the movement is still unclear the restoration of democratic rights and democratic processes and the freeing of political prisoners are to be welcomed. Apprehensions have been expressed about the role of US imperialism and Islamic fundamentalists in the uprising.

In this context, we are publishing one article on the last elections which saw Sheik Hasina return to power unopposed and two interviews with Comrade Badruddin Umar, the nonagenarian chairperson of National Liberation Council of Bangladesh, is being published to shed some light on the issues. The first of these interviews date to the early weeks of the student’s movement and the second was given after the fleeing of Sheik Hasina.

(Editorial Board, Revolutionary Democracy)

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