“We’re talking about a nation that is not only highly repressive but also the second-largest economy globally,” said Sarah Cook, who worked for years for Freedom House, which defends civil liberties around the globe. “This creates an unprecedented situation.”

“I never had to use a medical cream in my life,” says Biren Bhuiyan. Pointing to the skin ailments which he now treats with store-bought medicine, he says, “There used to be abundant medicinal plants around us, but we can’t find them here. We are dependent on hospitals now.”