Staff Reporter :
The life of citizens in Bangladesh is gradually returning to normal following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, which ended her 15-year rule marked by autocracy.
This change came after a mass uprising led by students and the public, demanding her departure.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Army Chief announced the reopening of all offices, educational institutions, mills, factories, and shopping malls, effectively lifting the curfew that had been in place.
However, the aftermath of Hasina’s resignation saw a surge in violence, with mobs vandalising and looting government installations, including police stations, across the country. The Awami League offices were also targeted, with several leaders’ properties attacked in various regions.
Despite the unrest, a notice from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) released on Monday evening confirmed that all educational institutions and public establishments, including garment factories, banks, and stock exchanges, would reopen.
Employees and workers returned to their jobs spontaneously on Tuesday morning. Most apparel factories, particularly those in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Savar, and Gazipur, resumed operations following the ISPR announcement.
Broadband internet services, including social networking sites like Facebook and video-sharing platform YouTube, were restored after days of outages.
Long-distance bus and launch services have also resumed, although the number of available services remains limited.
“I am happy that normalcy started returning to our life,” said Abul Bashar, a resident of the Gandaria area in Dhaka.
Abdul Ahad, a businessman from Dayagonj, expressed relief at reopening his workshop after weeks of closure, stating, “This is a great relief for me and my employees.” He expressed optimism that life would return to normal as the government implements measures to stabilise the situation.
The unrest began as students protested against the quota-based hiring system in government jobs, which escalated into violence and led to the imposition of a curfew, paralysing daily life for several weeks.