The great escapes: inside the dramatic exits of leaders toppled by their people

Once celebrated as Bangladesh’s longest-serving leader, Sheikh Hasina fled to India amid student uprisings and public fury. Weeks later, she was sentenced to death in absentia—her legacy rewritten overnight.

Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s military strongman, seized power in 1999 but exited in disgrace a decade later. Once hailed as a savior, he lived his final years in exile—an uneasy ghost of his own rule.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s dramatic flight from Sri Lanka began with citizens storming his palace. From Maldives to Singapore, his escape symbolized the collapse of a dynasty once thought untouchable.

Ashraf Ghani’s helicopter lifted off from Kabul as Taliban fighters closed in. His hasty exit left Afghans enraged and abandoned, sealing one of the most abrupt leadership collapses in modern history.

Twice elected, twice overthrown—Sadiq al-Mahdi of Sudan lived between politics and exile. His life mirrored the turmoil of a nation trapped in endless coups and fragile democracy.

The Dalai Lama, chased by Chinese forces, crossed the Himalayas on foot in 1959. His journey birthed a government-in-exile and turned a young monk into a global symbol of peace and resistance.

Each leader believed their rule was secure—until it wasn’t. Experts say the speed of collapse in regimes like Hasina’s or Ghani’s shows how fragile political legitimacy truly is in volatile states.

Exile isn’t just escape—it’s strategy. From London to Dubai, deposed rulers rebuild influence abroad, using soft power, alliances, and social media to stay relevant, even while stateless.

From Dhaka to Kabul, one truth persists: no fortress of power is impregnable. When the street turns against the throne, even decades of dominance can dissolve in days.