The downfall of the most seemingly adamantine autocrats often unfolds with extraordinary speed. So it has been for Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. She ruled increasingly tyrannically for the past 15 years — and overall for 20 of the past 28 years. On Monday, however, after weeks of student-led protests — and a crackdown by the security forces that led to hundreds of deaths — she fled her residence in a helicopter. She has for now taken refuge in neighbouring India, a friend of her regime. Back home, protesters were filmed revelling in and pillaging the contents of her home, a salutary reminder to autocrats everywhere of what the future may hold.
看似最坚不可摧的独裁者往往以惊人的速度垮台。孟加拉国的谢赫•哈西娜(Sheikh Hasina)也是如此。过去15年，她的统治越来越专制——她在过去的28年里总共统治了20年。然而，经过持续数周的学生领导的抗议活动，以及安全部队的镇压导致数百人死亡后，她在周一乘坐直升机逃离了自己的官邸。目前，她在邻国兼友邦印度寻求庇护。在国内，抗议者被拍到在她的家中狂欢并掠夺物品，这对世界各地的独裁者来说是一个有益的提醒，提醒他们未来可能会发生什么。