In 2013, just months before the national election, veteran journalist Naimul Islam Khan remarked during a talk show that the people of Bangladesh would be overjoyed—even more so than during some of the greatest victories of the national cricket team—if they could witness the “two netris” (leaders) together in a single frame.

By “two netris,” he was clearly referring to Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.

This seems like a far distant memory now. Back then, even amid the divisive and monumental events of the Shahbagh protests and the Shapla Square movement, which split the nation’s psyche, there remained a semblance of political decency.

Controversial people like Naimul Islam Khan still used to say something like that in TV talk shows.

However, things quickly unraveled. Within months of that talk show, Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League began what can be dubbed as one of the most calculated yet ruthless campaigns of political repression against the main opposition anywhere around the world.

This repression likely started with the abduction of over a dozen leaders and activists from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the lead-up to the election. Their whereabouts remain unknown to this day.

And since then in the last one decade, Hasina’s ruling turned Bangladesh into–first autocratic, and then a complete Mafia state in which a group of oligarchs, top police officials and compromised judges of judiciary transformed the country into a rentier state with Hasina as a supreme leader at the power.

Political decency has become an obsolete word. Hasina’s personal vengeance against two of her most decorated enemies–Begum Khaleda Zia and Dr Muhammad Yunus became all too evident and she used all the powers in her arsenal to stifle these two respected personalities.

Begum Zia was implicated in what many observers say a “highly politically motivated case” and was thrown to jail. Meanwhile, Dr Yunus, the most celebrated “global citizen” from Bangladesh was slapped with hundreds of cases for which he needed to shuttle from one court to another to seek bail.

The 21-day uprising in July-August however has changed the political landscape of Bangladesh entirely—though at the tragic cost of at least 1,400 lives.

Sheikh Hasina's regime ended in disgrace, culminating in her fleeing to neighboring India. This marked what many see as the end of her Awami League’s dominance, at least for the foreseeable future.

The hallmarks of her rule—brutality and disregard for the welfare of the people—have eroded not only her personal standing but also the social and political capital of her party.

Meanwhile, two of her fiercest adversaries, whom she sought to suppress with the full force of state machinery, are now celebrated figures, showered with respect and admiration.

Their appearance together [instead of the one of “two netris” in a single frame has filled the nation with joy and renewed hope.

Dr. Yunus now serves as the Chief Advisor of the interim government, while Begum Zia, despite her ongoing health struggles, remains the most revered political leader in the country.

On Thursday, they were seen together during the celebration of Armed Forces Day, a moment that captured the nation’s imagination.

Armed Forces Day, an annual event that typically garners only brief coverage in national newspapers, transformed into a major public event this year due to Begum Zia’s attendance.

News of her possible appearance had surfaced the day before, sparking skepticism due to her health condition. Yet, on Thursday, she arrived with her signature grace and determination, embodying the title "Aposhhin Netri" (Uncompromising Leader).

The Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, shared photos and videos of Begum Zia and Dr. Yunus together, which quickly went viral on social media.

The public showered them with praise and prayers, recalling a 2022 speech by Hasina during the Padma Bridge inauguration, where she mockingly suggested both figures should be “dipped in the Padma’s waters.” The stark contrast between that jest and the current reality was not lost on the people.

In addition to her interaction with Dr. Yunus, Begum Zia’s meetings with student leaders-turned-advisors Mahfuj Alam, Nahid Islam, and Asif Mahmud were also widely celebrated and appreciated by netizens, further solidifying her enduring legacy.

—