Hasina out: Jubilation in the air

The exuberant people expressed their joy all over the streets, and many were seen snatching keepsakes for a story they will tell for years to come. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

As far as the eye could see, a procession stretched - beginning from Shahbagh towards Banglamotor and beyond. A sea of thousands marched forward, their voices rose in a powerful chorus of chants reverberating through the air.

It was a scene of unity, with everyone on the same page—no divisions, no "you guys." Only "we," "us" and "ours". No opposition or law enforcement member was in sight to stop them. Strangers embraced like long-lost friends as if they had known each other for a lifetime.

In Bangladesh, such incidents are rare and come once in a blue moon. For instance, today's Gen Z has likely experienced it just once since coming of age—when Bangladesh defeated England to reach the quarterfinals of an ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time in 2015. 

Because, for a long time, cricket was widely regarded as the only force that could unite the entire nation. But from the palpable sense of jubilation in the air yesterday, it seems cricket now has a formidable rival: the ousting of an autocrat.

I didn't witness the war of 1971, but I have seen 2024. No words can express my feelings and happiness. I came to liberate the country, and I have succeeded.

Hannan, a citizen from Jatrabari

As soon as the news broke around 2:30 pm yesterday that the now-former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with her sister Sheikh Rehana, had fled the country after resigning power to the army – people from all walks of life surged into the streets. 

They made their way towards Ganobhaban, the official residence of Bangladesh's Prime Minister, situated on the north corner of the National Parliament House in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

At every intersection, new groups joined the throng — there are no words in the English language to capture the moment in writing in its truest essence. You would have had to be there. The throngs of people — all collective in jubilation – symbolised the power of the people. This is the power which grew, at an unprecedented pace, with each passing day over the last three weeks.

'Happy' is an understatement: A cocktail of "ecstatic, euphoric and exultant" perhaps can offer a glimpse of the ground reality across the capital and the country even.  

The people were also relieved, comforted and reassured. 

This victory is something no language can fully capture. Since I was a teen, I have come to understand what autocracy is. We have faced oppression from all fronts and lacked freedom of speech and expression. Now we can post freely on Facebook, talk to people, and truly understand autocracy from our own experiences. Nothing compares to this feeling.

Omar Haidar, a citizen

The chains of silence and fear that had long held the people captive fell and shattered. This newfound fearlessness was vividly reflected in their walks, laughter, dancing and chants.

When these people finally reached their destination, the jubilation erupted into pure hysteria. They breached the Ganobhaban gates, stormed through every corner, and broke into every room and crevice. 

It felt like watching the news of Sri Lanka 2022 on television. But here, in front of our eyes, we could feel the intensity and fervour first-hand.

In front of Ganobhaban, however, the crowd of tens of thousands suddenly intensified their chants, surrounding a rickshaw. Sarjis Alam – one of the triumphant heroes of the movement – was on the rickshaw, celebrating the people's victory on the crowded road. 

At that jubilant hour, we met Hannan and Nur Haidar, who were seated on the footpath – relaxed, happy and relieved. Although visibly tired, they were smiling and chatting, despite not knowing each other. It was one of those days when familiarity was unnecessary; people could connect and embrace one another without needing to know each other's names.

"I didn't witness the war of 1971, but I have seen 2024. No words can express my feelings and happiness," Hannan from Jatrabari told The Business Standard. "I came to liberate the country, and I have succeeded." 

"This victory is something no language can fully capture," Omar Haidar said. "Since I was a teen, I have come to understand what autocracy is. We have faced oppression from all fronts and lacked freedom of speech and expression. Now we can post freely on Facebook, talk to people, and truly understand autocracy from our own experiences. Nothing compares to this feeling."

At the Bangabhaban gate where we were speaking, tens of thousands were in a state of jubilation. They were chanting, laughing, crying, and hugging each other. Among them were people who had taken the liberty to take chickens, ducks, fish, furniture, and virtually everything else from Ganobhaban and the residences of parliamentarians.

Some were looting, while others took items like tree plants and small souvenirs. Everyone was cheering for those who were taking things from the scene.

We spotted a boy taking a chicken from Ganobhaban. When asked for a photo, he didn't hesitate and happily posed for a smiling picture with his souvenir chicken.

How do you envision the future of Bangladesh?

"We envision a Bangladesh where no party will impose fascism as Hasina did. It will be a fully democratic country where people's lives and dignity are preserved," Hannan said. "We don't want to see the ugly party politics of the past."

Meanwhile, the picture inside the Ganobhaban was as wild as one can imagine. 

Someone jumped into a pond and caught a big Rui fish, while others, as mentioned, grabbed several ducks and chickens. People were running all around Ganobhaban on Monday evening, unsure of what to take or leave.

It was almost 4 pm when we entered Ganobhaban. People had started entering Ganobhaban about an hour earlier. 

Runa Akter, a lab technologist, was among the crowd outside the Ganobhaban gate. She had walked all the way from Keraniganj.

"It feels like Eid today," Runa said. "We anticipated something would happen, but we didn't expect it to be this significant. We have triumphed."

"However, those who lost their lives are martyrs. Our freedom is due to their sacrifice. If they hadn't given their lives, this wouldn't have been possible. They are our inspiration," she added.

Nearby, Ali Ahsan, a high school student, echoed Runa's sentiments. "We are free now, but our freedom came at the cost of many lives. It feels overwhelming."

"We want to see a developed nation. We pray for a just ruler," Ali Ahsan added.

Logno, a university student near Ganobhaban, was chanting, "Where are you, killer Hasina?" Her face was beaming with happiness.

"This is our victory day. I am extremely proud. We have earned our freedom against the worst dictator in the world. History has repeatedly shown that you should never challenge students. Where have you gone, killer Hasina? You have fled the country," Logno said.

In Mohammadpur, Ruhul Amin was shouting into his phone.

"Can you hear me? I've brought a wood apple from Ganobhaban," Ruhul said. 

When asked about his trophy, a proud Ruhul Amin replied with a laugh, "She oppressed the people for so long. Why wouldn't I bring a wood apple?"

On Monday at Ganobhaban, those who first found their way to the kitchen had a great feast. They ate until they were full. And many things were taken. 

Some people tried to stop others, many were not in the mood to listen to rationality. 

But there were tens of thousands of others who were just observing the historical fall of autocracy, taking photos and videos to document the history. They will surely tell this tale to their grandchildren that they saw what happened in Ganobhaban on 5 August.