Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday after protestors stormed her official residence in Dhaka. She later fled the country in a military helicopter with her sister, Sheikh Rehana. According to reports, she has landed in an undisclosed location in India.
Bangladesh’s army chief, Waker-uz-Zaman, confirmed Hasina’s resignation and her departure from the country. In a press conference, Zaman stated, “PM Hasina has resigned, interim government to run the country. We will return peace to the country. We ask citizens to stop violence. We will investigate all killings that have happened over the past few weeks.”
Army Chief confirmed
Zaman assured that there was no need for a curfew or emergency measures, expressing confidence that the army would find a solution to the crisis by the end of the day. “We ask citizens to stop violence. We will investigate all killings that have happened over the past few weeks,” he added.
In response to the upheaval, the Border Security Force (BSF) in India issued a high alert along the India-Bangladesh border. BSF Director General Daljit Chaudhary and senior officials have reached Kolkata to review border security.
Reports indicated that Sheikh Hasina departed from Bangabhaban at around 2:30 pm on Monday on a military helicopter, accompanied by her sister Sheikh Rehana, heading for a “safer place.” The chopper reportedly went to Agartala, India, where Hasina landed safely.
Also read: Sheikh Hasina Quits As Bangladesh PM, Flees To Agartala, India Amid Unrest In The Nation
The prime minister’s departure followed weeks of protests against a controversial quota system in government jobs and educational institutions. Initially peaceful in June, the protests escalated into violent clashes, resulting in dozens of deaths. Over the past two days alone, more than 100 people have died in renewed violence.
The government had earlier ordered a complete internet shutdown as protestors called for a “Long March to Dhaka.” However, a government agency allowed broadband internet to resume around 1:15 pm on Monday.
“Security team advised her to leave”
A source told AFP that Sheikh Hasina fled on the advice of her security team. “Her security team asked her to leave, she did not find any time to prepare,” the source said. She initially left by motorcade before being evacuated by helicopter.
Following her departure, jubilant crowds celebrated by waving flags and dancing in front of cameras. Some protestors also smashed a statue of Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s independence hero.
Before Hasina’s ouster, her US-based son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, had urged security forces to protect the government. “Your duty is to keep our people safe and our country safe and to uphold the constitution. It means don’t allow any unelected government to come into power for one minute, it is your duty,” he wrote on social media.
