News Desk : dhakamirror.com
The Economist, an influential British weekly magazine, has named Bangladesh the ‘Country of the Year’ for 2024, recognising the nation’s incredible political and social transformation.
‘The winner toppled a tyrant and seems headed for something better,’ the magazine said in its report published on Thursday.
It said that the recognition was based on the student-led mass uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina, whose 15-year rule had been marked by authoritarianism, electoral manipulation and corruption.
Describing the political shift in Bangladesh as ‘Delta Force’, the UK-based magazine said that a daughter of an independence hero, Sheikh Hasina once presided over swift economic growth became repressive, rigging elections, jailing opponents and ordering the security forces to shoot protesters.
‘Huge sums of money were stolen on her watch,’ it said.
‘Our winner is Bangladesh, which also overthrew an autocrat. In August student-led street protests forced out Sheikh Hasina, who had ruled the country of 175 million for 15 years,’ The Economist said.
‘Bangladesh has a history of vengeful violence when power changes hands. The main opposition party, the BNP, is venal. Islamic extremism is a threat. Yet the transition has so far been encouraging,’ it said.
‘A temporary technocratic government, led by Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel peace prizewinner, and backed by students, the army, business and civil society has restored order and stabilised the economy,’ the magazine mentioned.
The British weekly also said that in 2025 Bangladesh would need to repair ties with India and decide when to hold elections — first ensuring that the courts are neutral and the opposition has time to organise.
‘None of this will be easy. But for toppling a despot and taking strides towards a more liberal government, Bangladesh is our country of the year,’ The Economist said.
The Economist announced Syria as the runner-up following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, which ended decades of brutal dictatorship characterised by civil war, mass atrocities and exploitation, offering hope to Syrians while undermining his autocratic allies.
‘Our runner-up is a late entrant: Syria,’ it said.
The ousting of Bashar al-Assad on December 8 ended half a century of depraved dynastic dictatorship. In just the past 13 years, civil war and state violence have killed perhaps 6,00,000 people.
According to The Economist, Assad’s regime used chemical weapons and mass torture against perceived opponents, and resorted to industrial-scale drug-dealing to raise cash.
Each December, The Economist selects a ‘Country of the Year’, recognising the nation that has demonstrated the most significant improvement over the past 12 months, rather than the richest, happiest, or most virtuous.
Past winners have included Colombia for ending a civil war, Ukraine for resisting an unprovoked invasion and Malawi for its steps towards democratisation, according to The Economist.
In 2023, Greece received the accolade for overcoming a prolonged financial crisis and re-electing a pragmatic centrist government.
