In a dramatic turn of events, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and left the country, as confirmed by Army Chief Waker uz Zaman. An interim government is set to take over the reins of power. The situation escalated on Monday when protesters stormed her official residence, Channel 24 reported. TV footage showed hundreds of people ransacking the building, taking away chicken, fish, and vegetables.
BBC Bangla reported that Sheikh Hasina is heading to Agartala, the capital of Tripura in India. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding her resignation and departure from Dhaka.
According to reports, the prime minister left the Bangladeshi capital on a helicopter with her sister earlier on Monday. The private Jamuna television news channel indicated that Sheikh Hasina was forced to step down amid massive protests against her government, sparked by a controversial quota system that reserved 30 percent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971.
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The protests have grown into a significant anti-government movement, demanding Hasina’s resignation. Over the past month, the unrest has led to around 300 deaths as authorities cracked down on demonstrators. Clashes between police and protesters in Dhaka have resulted in at least 98 deaths as of Sunday.
The army chief is expected to address the nation shortly, providing further details on the unfolding crisis.
The government had earlier ordered a complete internet shutdown as protestors called for a “Long March to Dhaka.” However, a government agency issued a verbal order to restore broadband internet around 1:15 PM on Monday.
Sheikh Hasina, who has been in power since 2009, reportedly landed in Agartala following her resignation. The protest movement, which initially began as a student-led campaign against the civil service job quotas, has now evolved into a broader uprising against the government.
The situation in Bangladesh remains tense as the country awaits further announcements from the interim government and the army chief’s address.
