Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday following weeks of deadly anti-government protests that swept the country. The announcement was made by Army Chief Waker-uz-Zaman after demonstrators stormed her official residence in Dhaka.
2022 Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled
July 2022: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence amid protests over Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis in seven decades. Protesters stormed his house and demanded his resignation.
#WATCH | Sri Lanka: Protest breaks out again in Colombo as the crisis in the country deepens after Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, earlier today
As per Sri Lanka’s Speaker of Parliament, Rajapaksa is yet to give his resignation pic.twitter.com/drHWzaDyVv
— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2022
2022: Sri Lanka defaulted on its $46 billion foreign debt due to a lack of foreign exchange, leading to severe shortages of food, fuel, and other essentials. Months of civil unrest ensued, resulting in Rajapaksa’s ouster.
March 2023: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released the first tranche of a $2.9 billion four-year bailout loan to Sri Lanka as part of a reform program that increased taxes and prices.
February 2024: Sri Lankan President announced that the country is gradually emerging from its economic crisis after the IMF bailout, during a speech marking Independence Day.
2022 Pakistan: Imran Khan Was Ousted
April 2022: Imran Khan, leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was ousted from office through a no-confidence vote. Shehbaz Sharif became prime minister of a coalition government.
November 2022: Khan was shot and injured during a protest march in Punjab province.
May 2023: Violent protests erupted across Pakistan after Khan was arrested during a court appearance. Protesters stormed the Army and ISI headquarters.
August 2023: Khan was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaking a classified cable. He has been in jail since then.
June 2024: A high court overturned Khan’s conviction for leaking state secrets, but he remains in prison due to another conviction.
2021 Afghanistan President Ghani Fled
Taliban fighters took control of Kabul, leading President Ashraf Ghani to flee Afghanistan to prevent violence. This marked the end of a 20-year Western effort to transform the country.
On Sunday, the Taliban spread through Kabul and seized the presidential palace. Al Jazeera captured exclusive footage of Taliban leaders and armed fighters inside the palace.
The Taliban also claimed control over most areas surrounding the city.
Panic spread throughout Kabul as helicopters flew over to evacuate people from the US embassy. Staff burned important documents, and the American flag was taken down. Other Western missions also began evacuating their staff.
Many Afghans, worried about the return of harsh Taliban rule and the potential loss of women’s rights, rushed to leave the country. They lined up at ATMs to withdraw their savings, while those who had moved to the city from rural areas for safety remained in parks and open spaces.
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