Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina flees country amid protests, Army announces interim government

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday resigned and fled the country amid widespread anti-government protests, Bangladeshi Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman announced.

Waker-uz-Zaman said that the Army was forming an interim government.

Hasina left the country along with her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, Prothom Alo reported. It was not immediately clear where they were headed.

This came after the student-led protests against a controversial quota scheme for government jobs, which started in July, evolved into a broader agitation against her administration.

On Monday afternoon, protestors stormed the prime minister’s official residence in Dhaka, BBC reported.

Ganabhaban, the official residence of Bangladesh PM Hasina stormed by protestors pic.twitter.com/aMbp3KIBEn— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) August 5, 2024

Waker-uz-Zaman held meetings with political parties and civil society members after Hasina left the capital, Prothom Alo reported. While speaking at a press conference later, he said that no member of Hasina’s Awami League was present for the meeting.

The Army chief also urged student protestors to “stay calm and go back home” and assured that perpetrators of all killings will be punished.

Professor Asif Nazrul from Dhaka University’s Department of Law has been asked to issue a statement requesting students to call off the protest, reported Dhaka Tribune.

The 4G mobile internet services, blocked after violent demonstrations on Sunday, were restored.

At least 93 persons were killed and over 1,000 injured in different parts of the country on Sunday, reported The Daily Star. With this, the toll in...

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