In one of 2024’s most dramatic democratic turning points, student-led protests ignited a national uprising against authoritarian rule in Bangladesh. The Hasina government responded with deadly force—resulting in over 1,400 deaths—and imposed a total internet blackout. But the public’s determination held. Mounting pressure forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country in August. An interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed power, charged with stabilizing the country and initiating long-overdue reforms toward accountable governance and free elections.