Sheikh Hasina came back from tragedy to lead Bangladesh — until protests forced her to flee

DHAKA, Bangaladesh (AP) — Sheikh Hasina, the longest-serving prime minister in Bangladesh’s history, resigned and fled the country on Monday, bringing a tumultuous end to her 15-year rule as an extraordinary wave of protest succeeded in toppling her government.

Her ouster came after weeks of relentless protests and clashes with security forces that have killed nearly 300 people since mid-July, according to local media reports. What began as peaceful demonstrations by students frustrated with a quota system for government jobs unexpectedly grew into a major uprising against Hasina and her ruling Awami League party.

The recent upheaval was the largest and last crisis for the 76-year-old leader, the world's longest-serving female head of government, who won a fourth consecutive term in January in an election boycotted by the main opposition amid concerns that the polls were not free or fair.

Hasina first became prime minister in 1996, and then returned in 2008 to win the office she held until Monday.

Analysts who have tracked her rise say her political life was driven by tragedy. On Aug. 15, 1975, her father and the first leader of independent Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujib Rahman, was assassinated in a military coup.

That fateful night, while 28-year-old Hasina was in Germany with her younger sister, a group of army officers burst into the family’s Dhaka home and killed her parents, three other siblings and the household staff — 18 people in all.

Some say the brutal act pushed her to consolidate unprecedented power. It was also what motivated her throughout her political career, analysts say.

“Hasina has one very powerful quality as a politician — and that is to weaponize trauma,” Avinash Paliwal, a former university lecturer who specialized in South Asian strategic affairs, said in January ahead of the general election.

To Hasina, her father was the founder of independent Bangladesh after its forces, aided by India, defeated Pakistan in 1971.

After the assassination, Hasina lived for years in exile in India, then made her way back to Bangladesh and took over the Awami League. But the country's military rulers had her in and out of house detention all through the 1980s until, after a general election in 1996, she became prime minister for the first time.

What followed was a decadeslong power struggle between Hasina and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the chief of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, who's now ailing and under house arrest.

The two women ran the country alternatively for years in a bitter rivalry that polarized Bangladesh politics. Hasina has often accused the BNP of courting hard-line extremists that her party, which calls itself moderate and secular, had worked to stamp out, while Zia’s BNP claims the Awami League is using oppressive tactics to stay in power.

The two traded blame as the recent protests turned violent. The BNP, which backed the student protesters, repeated calls for Hasina to step down while she accused them of stoking the violence.

She said the protests had been overtaken by the BNP and another opposition party that her government banned recently.

After Hasina lost the general election in 2001, she became the leader of the opposition. Political violence, unrest and military interventions marked the years until she was reelected.

Back in power, she fixed her sights on the economy and built infrastructure previously unseen in Bangladesh: a strong electricity grid that reaches far-flung villages and big-ticket projects such as highways, rail lines and ports. The country’s garment industry became one of the world’s most competitive.

The development gains sparked other advances. Girls were educated on par with boys, and an increasing swell of women joined the workforce. Those close to her described Hasina as hands-on and passionate about uplifting women and poor people.

On the international stage, Hasina cultivated ties with powerful countries including both India and China. But the United States and other Western nations expressed concerns over violations of human rights and press freedoms, straining relations. In January, after she won a fourth consecutive term, the U.S. and the United Kingdom said the polls were not credible, free and fair. Previous elections in 2018 and 2014 were also marred by allegations of vote rigging and a boycott by opposition parties.

Her critics for years accused her government of using harsh tools to muzzle dissent, shrink press freedoms and curtail civil society. Rights groups have also cited forced disappearances of critics, which her government denied.

Her government employed the same heavy-handed approach when these protests began, which inflamed tensions even more, analysts said.

The student-led movement also came as Bangladesh underwent an economic churn given the recent global slowdown. Ahead of the January polls, there was labor unrest and dissatisfaction with the government.

But the latest furor highlighted the extent of economic distress in the country, where exports have fallen and foreign exchange reserves are running low. Experts say there’s a lack of quality jobs for young graduates, who increasingly seek the more stable and lucrative government jobs.

“There have been plenty of protests during Awami League’s regime over the last 15 years, but nothing as large, long, and violent as this one,” said Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center. He added that the especially ferocious government response of excessive force and deep pent-up anger at the state as well as growing economic stress led to the escalation.

After 15 years of Hasina's administration, it’s not clear what comes next.

Shortly after she was seen on TV boarding a military helicopter with her sister, the country’s military chief, Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman, said he would seek the president’s guidance on forming an interim government.

He promised that the military would launch an investigation into the deadly crackdown on student-led protests that fueled outrage against the government.

“Keep faith in the military, we will investigate all the killings and punish the responsible,” he said. “I have ordered that no army and police will indulge in any kind of firing.”

“Now, the students’ duty is to stay calm and help us,” he added.

Thousands of protesters celebrated in the capital, waving Bangladeshi flags as the news broke, while others looted her official residence, carrying out furniture and even fish from the kitchens.

It is an “end of a regime that delivered a lot of development but was increasingly authoritarian, as we saw with the mass killings these past weeks,” said Naomi Hossain, a research professor specializing in Bangladesh at the London-based SOAS University.

The country has seen interim governments in the past, Hossain said, adding that for now the hope is that the army will ensure peace.

But there are fears of reprisal violence. “It could get ugly if the army isn’t able to calm people down and defuse the issue. It could be a while before we are out of the woods,” she added.

Pathi reported from New Delhi.

Protesters carry a member of the army on their shoulders as they celebrate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

Protesters shout slogans as they celebrate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

Protesters shout slogans as they celebrate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

Activists take part in a protest march against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government to demand justice for more than 200 people killed in last month's violent demonstrations, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

Protesters shout slogans as they celebrate after getting the news of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

Men run past a shopping center which was set on fire by protesters during a rally against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government demanding justice for the victims killed in the recent countrywide deadly clashes, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

A protester throws a rubber tire on fire during a protest against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

Army personnel stand guard behind a barrier during a curfew imposed following violence during protests against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

People shout slogans as they take part in a protest against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government demanding justice for the victims killed in the recent countrywide deadly clashes, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

A policeman aims his weapon at protesters during a curfew imposed following violence during protests against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

People shout slogans as they take part in a protest against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government demanding justice for the victims killed in the recent countrywide deadly clashes, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)

FILE- Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina delivers a speech during the Paris Peace Forum, in Paris, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. Protesters stormed Hasina’s official residence on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, as leader’s whereabouts are unknown. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

FILE- Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, centre, is flanked by her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, left, and sister Sheikh Rehana as she speaks to the media after casting her vote in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. Protesters stormed Hasina’s official residence on Monday, Aug. 5, as leader’s whereabouts are unknown. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri, File)

FILE- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina interacts with journalists in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Protesters stormed Hasina’s official residence on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, as leader’s whereabouts are unknown. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath, File)

FILE- Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gestures as she speaks during a press conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Jan. 6, 2014. Hasina resigned on Monday, June 5, 2024, ending 15 years in power as thousands of protesters defied a military curfew and stormed her official residence. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The president of South Florida's police union said Miami Dolphins player Tyreek Hill was handcuffed and placed face down on the ground during a traffic stop because he was not “immediately cooperative” with officers, while Hill said he was respectful throughout the interaction.

Steadman Stahl, president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, said Hill was “redirected” to the ground after refusing to sit when he was briefly detained outside the Dolphins' home stadium in an incident that resulted in one of the officers involved being immediately placed on administrative leave.

Passing fans and some teammates saw Hill in handcuffs with at least three officers around him following the stop that quickly went viral just hours before the Dolphins kicked off their season Sunday.

Hill later said he didn't know why the officers placed him in handcuffs.

“I have no idea, for real,” Hill said Sunday after the game. “I wasn’t disrespectful because my mom didn’t raise me that way. Didn’t cuss. Didn’t do none of that. So like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out, man.”

Stahl said Hill was handcuffed according to the police department's policy.

“Before the Dolphins game yesterday, an incident occurred where Tyreek Hill was placed in handcuffs before being released,” Stahl said in a statement. "First, to be clear, at no time was he ever under arrest. He was briefly detained for officer safety, after driving in a manner in which he was putting himself and others in great risk of danger.

“Upon being stopped, Mr. Hill was not immediately cooperative with the officers on the scene who, pursuant to policy and for their immediate safety, placed Mr. Hill in handcuffs. Mr. Hill, still uncooperative, refused to sit on the ground and was therefore redirected to the ground. Once the situation was sorted out within a few minutes, Mr. Hill was issued two traffic citations and was free to leave.”

Miami-Dade police still aren’t saying what infraction Hill was cited with — he said they told him he was stopped for speeding and reckless driving — but they have confirmed that Hill’s teammate Calais Campbell, who was also briefly detained, wasn’t cited. The officer who detained Hill has been placed on administrative duty, pending the findings of an investigation, which is normal procedure.

Miami-Dade Police director Stephanie Daniels told the Miami Herald on Monday that the decision to place the officer on leave came after a review of the body camera footage from the roadside incident.

The Miami-Dade police department has declined an Associated Press request for the footage, citing the open and ongoing internal investigation.

Daniella Levine Cava, the mayor of Miami-Dade County, released a statement commending the department's immediate launch of an investigation.

“In recent years, our nation has confronted important conversations on the use of force," she said, “and the internal review process will answer questions about why the troubling actions shown in public video footage were taken by the officer.”

Hill's teammate, Campbell, was also briefly handcuffed after he said he tried to de-escalate the situation. Campbell said he was on his way to the game when he saw Hill handcuffed.

“They were trying to yank him down to the ground,” Campbell said Monday on ESPN. “I saw them kick him and pull him down, I mean, pulling (on) the cuffs; shoulders looked like they were messing up. They kind of got him down. I feel like one officer was pushing on his head.”

Campbell said he got out of his car with his hands up above his head and approached the scene, informing officers that he was a friend of Hill's. He remained at the scene to “support” Hill after he said officers asked him to leave. Police later placed him in handcuffs for “disobeying a direct order" by being too close to the scene.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, speaking at an unrelated event in Miami Lakes, Florida, on Monday, said he thought it was “appropriate” for the investigation into the officers’ conduct to be opened.

“I was pleased to see he did well in the game and it was good for the team, what happened on the field,” DeSantis said. “I have confidence in agencies throughout this state that they want to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and if for some reason that wasn’t followed here I know they will make that clear. But I’ll let that investigation take place.”

This isn’t the first off-field incident involving Hill.

He was accused of punching his girlfriend in college and got kicked off the team at Oklahoma State, later pleading guilty to domestic assault and battery by strangulation. In 2019, prosecutors in suburban Kansas City declined to charge Hill after an alleged domestic violence incident involving his fiancée and their 3-year-old child.

Last offseason, Hill was under investigation by Miami-Dade police for assault and battery after it was reported that he got into an argument with a South Florida marina worker, which apparently ended with Hill hitting the worker. Hill and the man later resolved their dispute.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) pretends to put wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) in handcuffs as they celebrate Hill's touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill speaks during an NFL football post game news conference, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Dolphins defeated the Jaguars 20-17. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)