Sheikh Hasina has resigned from her role as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh following a directive from the army, which gave her 45 minutes to vacate her position amid escalating violence that has claimed over 300 lives. The army has announced its intention to establish an interim government to restore order.
On Monday, following intense clashes, Hasina departed in a military aircraft for an undisclosed location, rumoured to be Agartala. However, there is no confirmation of a scheduled landing at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport.
Despite her intention to address the nation, the ongoing violence prevented any public statement as her security team hurriedly evacuated her.
In a broadcast statement, Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman declared the military’s plan to form a temporary government and called for an end to the protests. He committed to addressing the protestors’ demands and ensuring the populace’s safety.
Violence intensified on Sunday when police clashed with large-scale protests, utilizing tear gas and rubber bullets, leading to nearly 100 deaths and over a thousand injuries. The turmoil escalated as protestors stormed Gonobhaban, the Prime Minister’s official residence in Dhaka. By that time, Hasina, who started her fifth term this year, had already left the premises with her sister, Sheikh Rehana, via a military helicopter.
The ongoing unrest began over grievances against a quota system in government employment, reserving positions for relatives of veterans from the 1971 war against Pakistan.
