The year 2024 was marked as a revolutionary and tumultuous period in the global arena. Almost every continent witnessed political shifts and social upheavals, carrying the message of change from Asia, the Middle East, and Europe to the United States.
Below are the notable events from 2024:
Ongoing Political Crisis in South Korea:
South Korea, the fourth-largest economy in Asia, faced a major political crisis this year. President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law but had to retract it under intense protests and public demonstrations. The parliament subsequently impeached him. This incident caused ripples in global markets and raised concerns among allied nations.
India:
On April 19, the world’s largest democracy began its general elections, held in seven phases until June 1. On June 4, results were announced, with the ruling BJP winning 240 seats. Other parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP) secured 37 seats, Trinamool Congress (TMC) 29, DMK 22, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) 16, Janata Dal (JD-U) 12, Shiv Sena (Uddhav) 9, Nationalist Congress Party-Socialist Party (NCP-SP) 8, and Shiv Sena (SHS) 7 seats.
Since no party achieved a majority (272 seats required), the BJP-led NDA formed a coalition government. Narendra Modi was re-elected as Prime Minister for the third consecutive term. The Congress Party, led by Rahul Gandhi, performed better than the last election, and Rahul became the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Russia:
Russia held its presidential election from March 15-17. Despite allegations from the West, Russian authorities announced that Vladimir Putin secured 87.8% of the votes. This victory ensured Putin’s continuation as president for another six years, making him the longest-serving leader in Russia’s 200-year history. He has held power as either President or Prime Minister since 1999.
Pakistan:
In February, Pakistan held its 16th general election. Results announced on February 9 revealed that independent candidates supported by Imran Khan’s PTI won 101 seats, Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N 75 seats, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s PPP 54 seats. On March 3, Shahbaz Sharif defeated PTI’s candidate Umar Ayub to become Pakistan’s 24th Prime Minister with 201 parliamentary votes. He took his oath of office the following day.
Iran:
Iran was scheduled to hold presidential elections in June 2024, but President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash on May 19. Following constitutional requirements, elections were held within 50 days. Reformist leader Masoud Pezeshkian defeated hardliner Saeed Jalili in the second round to become the new president.
Sri Lanka:
Following the fall of the Rajapaksa government amidst protests, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the National People’s Power coalition, was elected president. The coalition is viewed as closer to China than India, intensifying geopolitical competition in Sri Lanka.
Maldives:
In parliamentary elections, President Mohamed Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) achieved a landslide victory, securing over two-thirds of the 93 seats. Analysts predict this will push the Maldives closer to China and away from India.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the long-standing rule of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, spanning over 15 and a half years, came to an unprecedented end on August 5 through a mass movement. A student protest demanding reform in government job quotas, which began 36 days earlier, transformed into a movement to overthrow the government. On June 5, the High Court declared the decision to abolish job quotas illegal. The following day, students protested against the court’s verdict. Although the state appealed to suspend the verdict, widespread protests began under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement on Monday, July 1.
The situation changed dramatically on July 14. During a press conference that day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a controversial comment regarding “collaborators,” which sparked intense reactions among the protesters. That same night, large-scale protest marches erupted.
The following day, July 15, members of the ruling party’s student wing, along with government supporters, attacked quota reform activists at Dhaka University. In response, a nationwide call for protests in educational institutions was issued for July 16. On July 18, students called for a “complete shutdown” program. Clashes in Dhaka’s Badda and Uttara areas that day resulted in the deaths of several students, further escalating tensions. Subsequently, the protesters began presenting demands, sometimes listing eight points, and at other times, nine.
On July 3, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement demanded the resignation of the government with a “one-point demand” at a rally. On August 5, starting at 11 a.m., hundreds of thousands of people began converging on various parts of Dhaka, including Shahbagh. Meanwhile, Army Chief Waqar-Uz-Zaman announced that Sheikh Hasina had resigned. Reports indicated that Sheikh Hasina fled to neighboring India.
Thus, through a massive public movement, the Awami League’s 15-and-a-half-year-long rule came to an end. On August 8, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed the role of Chief Adviser of the interim government. Under Yunus’ leadership, numerous controversial actions were undertaken in Bangladesh. He blocked the path to justice for the horrific police killings during the July-August protests. Yunus reportedly spoke of “pressing the reset button” to erase the history of the Liberation War. The current government has clamped down on independent media to dismantle the country’s democratic system. Journalists who dare to speak out are being fired from their jobs. To prevent information about the government’s rampant corruption from reaching journalists, the government has imposed strict control over the press, barred access to the Secretariat, and revoked all journalist accreditation cards. The government is also attempting to abolish the constitution.
In the name of reform, the government has been conducting mass arrests of Awami League leaders and activists. Minority persecution has become alarmingly commonplace under the current regime. Bangladesh’s law and order situation has deteriorated to an unprecedented level in history. Mob justice has created anarchy in the country, with people being indiscriminately killed. Upon assuming power, the government released previously detained militant terrorists from jail, further destabilizing the nation.
Political Turmoil and Terrorist Attacks in Pakistan:
Pakistan remained unstable throughout 2024, with protests demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The PTI-led demonstrations faced severe crackdowns by security forces, including internet shutdowns and Section 144 restrictions in Islamabad. Clashes between PTI supporters and security forces resulted in deaths, including those of security personnel.
Terrorist attacks surged, with Pakistan blaming banned group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). On December 25, Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan, claiming to target the TTP, which resulted in the deaths of 46 civilians, including women and children. Afghanistan condemned the attacks, leading to heightened tensions between the two countries.
Myanmar’s Junta Losing Ground:
Myanmar continued to grapple with internal strife following the military coup in 2021. Anti-junta forces captured key areas, including Laukkai near the Chinese border and Lashio in Shan State, marking significant defeats for the junta. By December, the military was reportedly retreating to urban strongholds like Yangon and Naypyidaw.
Disasters Across Asia:
Asia faced multiple disasters in 2024. On January 1, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s western coast, killing 462 people and injuring 1,344. The following day, a collision between an aircraft and a passenger plane at a Japanese airport caused five fatalities.
In Saudi Arabia, extreme heat during the Hajj pilgrimage led to the deaths of 550 pilgrims, with 323 Egyptians among the victims.