DHAKA – Massive protests in Bangladesh led to the resignation and escape of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had ruled for a long time. Initially sparked by job quotas, the protests turned into a nationwide movement demanding Hasina’s ouster after a government crackdown killed around 300 people, mostly youth.
Reports from international media detail the final moments before Hasina’s escape. Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman made it clear that the armed forces would not enforce a curfew to crush the protests. This decision was communicated to Hasina, indicating she no longer had the army’s support.
The army’s refusal to back Hasina’s plan to suppress the protests played a significant role in the abrupt end of her 15-year tenure. She fled to neighboring India. The curfew had been imposed after intense violence on Sunday, resulting in at least 91 deaths and numerous injuries during clashes that marked the peak of the student-led protests which began in July.
The Bangladesh Army withdrew its support due to the massive scale of the protests and the high number of casualties, making it untenable for the military to continue backing Hasina.