laws targeting dissidents and whistleblowers, further entrenching military dominance in both governance and economic control,41 exacerbating the country’s crisis. In Sri Lanka, the current President Ranil Wickremesinghe – an ally of the dictatorial Rajapakse family, who have held power in Sri Lanka in some form or another since 2005 – has never yet been formally elected by the people, and has characterized his tenure with frequent attacks on protesters and critics, where law enforcement and the military have been deployed and have used tear gas, water cannons and live ammunition.42 IN BANGLADESH, THE RECENT WAVE OF PROTESTS THAT TOPPLED SHEIKHA HASINA’S GOVERNMENT, WERE MET WITH SEVERE REPRESSION, REFLECTING A BROADER PATTERN OF AUTHORITARIANISM ENTRENCHED IN THE STATE’S RESPONSE TO DISSENT. In Bangladesh, the recent wave of protests that toppled Sheikha Hasina’s government, were met with severe repression, reflecting a broader pattern of authoritarianism entrenched in the state’s response to dissent. The Bangla-Blockade movement, sparked by demands for quota reforms, saw students and activists facing brutal crackdowns by both the police and members of the Bangladesh Chatra League (BCL), a pro-government militia. The police’s unlawful use of force and the BCL’s violent assaults have been documented extensively, with evidence showing that authorities systematically targeted peaceful protesters, resulting in multiple deaths and countless injuries.43 In Afghanistan, where over 90 percent of the population is food insecure at the present, the cut-off of international donor assistance and total Taliban takeover have plunged communities into both democratic and economic decline.44 Human Rights Watch reports that “Taliban security forces throughout the year carried out arbitrary detentions, torture, and summary executions of former security officers and perceived enemies.”45 41 Bano, S. (2024). Democracy is struggling in South Asia. The Interpreter. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/democracy-struggling-south-asia 42 Amnesty International. (2022). Sri Lanka: Authorities’ crackdown on protest rights must end. Amnesty International https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/sri-lanka-authorities-crackdown-on-protest-rights-must-end/ 43 Amnesty International. (2024, July). Bangladesh: Witness testimony, video, and photographic analysis confirm police used unlawful force against protesters. Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/07/ bangladesh-witness-testimony-video-and-photographic-analysis-confirm-police-used-unlawful-force-against-protesters/ 44 Human Rights Watch. (2023). World Report 2023: Afghanistan. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/ world-report/2023/country-chapters/afghanistan 45 Ibid. 22