From my sleep, I could feel that I am in the airspace of a country on the move, this prompted me to wake up and strike a conversation with a young (as I had suspected) Bangladeshi man next to me, whom for most of the flight I had ignored to be honest.
"Bangladeshi?" (the nationality) I asked.
Yes, Bangladesh 2.0," (the country) he responded.
This is how the conversation about how young people, students, booted out a corrupt government and sent a 15-year Prime Minister who had just “won” an election into exile started. I could sense that the young man has been waiting to say this to someone for a long time. He works in Doha, and just like me, was going to Bangladesh for the first time since the July revolution.
"Did people at home tell you that anything has changed yet since August though?" I asked.
“In terms of the economy, not yet, (…) they told me they feel free though, free to be, free to say their minds out and free to hope.” He answered.
The conversation went on until we landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport; it resumed over coffee the day after and the days that followed.
Here are the five things that I learnt from what I saw, what we talked about and what I experienced during my stay in Bangladesh
1. Artivism works
On my way to where I was staying, I could see walls and bridges with art which communicated what just happened with zero ambiguity. I learnt that art has incredible power to mobilize and inform. The graffiti that I saw wasn't just visual; it was a public declaration of resistance and a way to spread awareness about the issues at stake. This "artivism" served several purposes including increasing accessibility. It democratized information. Complex political issues were translated into powerful visuals that anyone can understand, drawing in people who might have otherwise remained disengaged. Artivism transformed the urban landscape into a canvas for protest, forcing people to confront the movement's message in their daily lives. This constant visibility keeps the issues at the forefront of public consciousness. And art, in this case, evoked strong emotions and created a sense of shared identity in a country with different ethnicities. In short, “artivism” is not an addition to “activism,” it’s an integral part of it.
2. Young people need to be organized to achieve change
The success of the Bangladeshi youth in ousting a corrupt government highlights the power of organized action. We talked a lot about struggles which lasted decades in countries across the world—your Syrias and your Venezuelas. We also talked about countries where change was hijacked: Tunisia now with a dictator, Kais Saied; Egypt with El-Sisi; and Sudan, which ended up in conflict as two warlords battle for power. Women and youths who led the struggles end up becoming collateral damage. Bangladesh taught us that being organised during, and most importantly after the struggle has been won, is necessary. The initial phase of the protests, which was reactionary, morphed into a decentralized, organised movement which formulated plans and strategies. This decentralized structure allowed for flexibility and resilience, making it harder for authorities to suppress the movement. After, the citizens council, which provides a unified voice, increased the movement's influence. The few representatives in the council are accountable to the people, hence they are bound to effectively channel public opinion and advocate for specific policy positions. What I have noted is that the “revolution” is not over, young people are still engaged, and this has the potential to preserve the gains of the struggle.
3. It takes time
I picked up that this struggle, which was triggered by the employment quotas issue, was not new. The protests have been brewing and sometimes emerging spontaneously since 2018, or even before. It took a trigger point to ignite the fuel that has been boiling for a long time. In different conversations, I was told that social and political change requires a gradual shift in public consciousness. It takes time to educate, mobilize, and build a critical mass of support. However, others highlighted the role of trigger points. My friend said, “while underlying grievances existed for years, it is one event which triggered everything, igniting widespread protests.” Additionally, I learnt that change requires sustained pressure on those in power. The Bangladeshi people demonstrated remarkable resilience, continuing their protests even in the face of arrests and killings. It's tough, but when it must be done, it must be done.
4. Simple conversation can be transformational
Had I not started a conversation with the passenger seated on seat K34, I could have returned home with the knowledge of what I have read in papers, which is often not representational of ordinary people's experiences. I learnt more than just about the politics of things, but the social dynamics which entrench power. I understood more about patriarchal dynamics in most sectors of Bangladesh, and I had personal connections which have the potential to last beyond all this I am writing about.
5. Solidarity matters
One striking thing was how people, parents, and communities supported the student protesters. A prime example being about a lawyer and TV personality turned protest organiser, Manjur Al Matin, who, after his room was teargassed by the security forces, joined the protests. Using his megaphone as a popular personality, he amplified the case that the students were highlighting, which was now beyond the employment quotas, but included the need for democracy and rule of law, etc. I had the privilege to meet Manjur during some of my work assignments, where he shared more of the same issues my in-flight friend had shared in the days that we talked. I learnt that when respected figures join a movement, they lend it credibility and broaden its appeal. Manjur's involvement helped elevate the students' concerns and frame them within a larger struggle for democracy and rule of law. It can be noted that community support provided essential resources, such as food, water, shelter (as people temporarily hid from security forces), and legal aid, enabling protesters to sustain their efforts. In the face of state repression, solidarity from parents and communities offered a degree of protection and safety for young activists.