DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country on Monday, according to multiple sources, amid severe violence. Army chief General Waker-Us-Zaman confirmed in a televised address that Hasina, 76, had fled, and an interim government would be established.
Reports suggest Hasina and her sister boarded a military helicopter and were headed towards West Bengal in India. Another report indicated she might be traveling to Tripura. These reports have not been independently verified by Reuters.
Thousands of people filled the streets of Dhaka, celebrating and shouting slogans. Crowds stormed Hasina’s official residence, ‘Ganabhaban,’ and were seen carrying away items like televisions, chairs, and tables from one of the country’s most protected buildings.
In a symbolic act, protesters climbed a statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father, and began damaging it.
The resignation follows a call by student activists for a march to Dhaka, defying a nationwide curfew, after deadly clashes across the country left nearly 100 people dead. Last month, about 150 people were killed in similar protests.
On Monday, at least six people were killed in clashes between police and protesters in Dhaka, according to the Daily Star. These reports have not yet been confirmed by Reuters.
The protests and violence began last month after student groups demanded the abolition of a controversial quota system in government jobs. This movement soon turned into a campaign demanding Hasina’s resignation. Hasina had won her fourth consecutive term in an election earlier this year, which was boycotted by the opposition.