# Bangladesh Protests: a Cautionary Tale for Authoritarian Regimes?

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/opinion/156076-bangladesh-protests-a-cautionary-tale-for-authoritarian-regimes
- Published: 2024-08-12T20:54:29+07:00
- Author: Olivier Languepin

The recent protests in Bangladesh have highlighted the complex interplay between
citizen activism and governmental authority. Sparked by long-standing grievances
over a controversial quota system, the demonstrations escalated following a high
court ruling that reignited public dissent. For neighboring countries, the unfolding
situation in Bangladesh serves as a reminder of the need for political responsiveness
and the potential consequences of failing to address the underlying issues that 
fuel public discontent.

 * The ousting of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by student protesters
   signals a potentially significant shift in the country’s politics, with implications
   for other authoritarian regimes in Asia.
 * The refusal of the military to use force against the student protests contributed
   to Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and exile, highlighting the power of non-violent
   resistance in effecting political change.
 * Many authoritarian regimes are not overtly tyrannical. To maintain a veneer of
   legitimacy, they often emulate the superficial aspects of a rules-based democracy.

This regime change has economic and geopolitical implications, including its impact
on India, the potential for Chinese influence, and possible repercussions for regional
geopolitics and the broader implications for Asian politics. Authoritarian governments
may appear unassailable until they are abruptly overthrown, as the former prime 
minister of Bangladesh learned this week when she fled the country.

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In fact, according to Reuters and the Japanese daily Nikkei Asia, it was the decision
of the army’s top brass not to shoot at the protesters when the police were themselves
overwhelmed by the events that forced the Prime Minister to resign and then, a few
hours later, to go into exile. Since then, a precarious calm has reigned in the 
country where students loudly proclaim their desire for democracy and an end to 
corruption. The police, hated for the brutality committed during the demonstrations,
are invisible. It is students who, at the crossroads of the capital, regulate traffic.

These events underscore the delicate balance between maintaining public order and
respecting the right to peaceful protest. They also offer a stark lesson for authoritarian
regimes worldwide: ignoring or suppressing citizens’ voices can lead to widespread
unrest and political upheaval

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But this refusal by military leaders to obey the authorities to crush the rebellion,
as exemplary as it may be, cannot, at least in the short term, be replicated in 
other authoritarian or totalitarian countries in the region, particularly those 
where a communist regime has been consolidated over the years. Thus we remember 
that, on the orders of Deng Xiaoping, the reforming master of China at the time,
the soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army did not hesitate to fire live ammunition
on the demonstrators, mainly students from the capital’s major universities, gathered
in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.

Elsewhere, Vietnam is also a police state where any mass protest would be detected
well before it degenerated into a real threat to the regime. The same is more or
less true in Laos, also communist, as well as in Cambodia, whose regime is largely
subservient to China.

## The Dissolution of Thailand’s Main Opposition Party: A Blow to Democratic Ideals

The recent dissolution of Thailand’s main opposition party, the Move Forward Party,
has sent shockwaves through the nation and the international community. The Constitutional
Court’s unanimous ruling on politically motivated allegations of treason for advocating
reform of the lèse-majesté law has resulted in a ten-year ban on political activity
for its executive members.

This decision has been met with widespread criticism. Human rights organizations,
including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the move 
as a severe violation of the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful
assembly, and democratic participation. The United Nations has also expressed concern,
highlighting the impact on fundamental freedoms.

The United States is deeply concerned by Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruling 
today ordering the dissolution of the Move Forward Party and the banning of 11 of
its leaders from politics.

> This decision disenfranchises the more than 14 million Thais who voted for the
> Move Forward Party in the May 2023 election and raises questions about their representation
> within Thailand’s electoral system. The Constitutional Court’s decision also jeopardizes
> Thailand’s democratic progress and runs counter to the aspirations of the Thai
> people for a strong, democratic future.
> [On the Dissolution of Move Forward Party in Thailand – United States Department of State](https://www.state.gov/on-the-dissolution-of-move-forward-party-in-thailand/)

The Move Forward Party, which secured the largest number of seats in the May 2023
general elections, represented a significant portion of the Thai electorate. Its
dissolution raises serious questions about the state of democracy in Thailand, a
country that has publicly committed to global leadership on human rights by applying
for a seat at the UN Human Rights Council.

The use of the lèse-majesté law has been a contentious issue in Thailand, with calls
for reform to prevent its misuse in stifling dissent. The recent actions against
the Move Forward Party have only intensified these concerns, suggesting a trend 
of using legal mechanisms to suppress opposition voices

The former leader of Thailand’s banned Move Forward party, [Pita Limjaroenrat, accuses the conservative establishment of using the legal system and military to undermine democratic progress. ](https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/12/pita-limjaroenrat-thailand-move-forward-party-banned-leader-interview)
The party’s dissolution over its pledge to reform the lese majesty law, which protects
the monarchy, has raised concerns from international bodies. Pita believes that 
the establishment is protecting its own interests under the pretext of safeguarding
the monarchy. 

Many authoritarian regimes are not overtly tyrannical. To maintain a veneer of legitimacy,
they often emulate the superficial aspects of a rules-based democracy. The strategic
manipulation of courts is a common tactic. Such regimes may assert that they are
simply enforcing the law, branding the opposition as mere criminals.

In Thailand, the effectiveness of the government’s recent efforts to suppress public
dissent remains uncertain. Authoritarian regimes may appear unassailable until they
are abruptly overthrown, a reality the former prime minister of Bangladesh, who 
fled the country this week, has come to realize.