The prime minister of Bangladesh has stepped down and escaped to India after enduring weeks of violent protests in the nation.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, aged 76, along with her sister, used a military helicopter to reach India’s eastern state of West Bengal, as per media reports, just near the border. However, another report indicated that she might have been en route to India’s northeastern state of Tripura.
A large number of individuals breached her official residence, chanting slogans, raising fists, and displaying victory gestures. Meanwhile, thousands more flooded the streets of Dhaka to commemorate the resignation of the leader who held office for 15 years.
General Waker-Us-Zaman, the army chief of Bangladesh, assured the nation that a resolution to the crisis would be reached “by tonight.”
He mentioned being engaged in discussions to establish an interim government.
Addressing the nation during the crisis, Bangladesh’s army chief
Protesters set a shopping center on fire during a rally against Ms. Hasina on Sunday. Pic: AP
Military personnel patrolling Dhaka with armored vehicles last month.
Pic: AP
Ms. Hasina’s resignation coincided with student activists calling for a march on Dhaka on Monday, disregarding a nationwide curfew, to demand her resignation.
Reports from local sources stated that at least 95 individuals, including a minimum of 14 police officers, lost their lives during clashes in the capital on Sunday, while hundreds sustained injuries.
Clashes between police and protesters in the Jatrabari and Dhaka Medical College regions on Monday reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least six people.
The initial protests were initiated by students seeking the abolition of a job quota system in the government. However, the confrontations with law enforcement and pro-government supporters escalated into violence that claimed over 200 lives the previous month.
These events led to further protests demanding accountability from the government and eventually evolved into calls for Ms. Hasina, who secured a fourth consecutive term in January in an election boycotted by the opposition, to step down.
During Sunday’s protests, individuals demanded justice for those affected by fatal clashes. Pic: AP
Normal internet and mobile data services have been reinstated throughout Bangladesh after a period of blackout.
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