Bangladesh Protests: Breaking updates on violent riots as PM Sheikh Hasina flees

Last updated on August 6th, 2024 at 03:56 am

It’s raining chaos in Bangladesh as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from her post on Monday and the army flight she is travelling in has reportedly landed in India. The army chief of Bangladesh held a press conference and confirmed her resignation.

The army is set to form an interim government to run the country. Hasina departed from Bangabhaban at around 2:30 pm on a military helicopter, accompanied by her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, for a “safer place”, as per media reports.

“I am taking full responsibility”: Bangladesh’s general

In the meantime, India has cancelled all its train services to and fro from Bangladesh. The neighbouring country’s Border Security Force (BSF) has issued a ‘high alert’ for all units present along the 4,096 kilometre India-Bangladesh border.

“I am taking full responsibility,” the Bangladeshi general said on Monday, dressed in military fatigues and cap. He stressed that the country’s economy has taken a hit due to violent protests. The deepening unrest has seen nearly 300 casualties.

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Last month, at least 150 people lost their lives in Bangladesh and thousands sustained injuries of varying severities in violent demonstrations involving student groups protesting against reserved quotas in government jobs.

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Nonetheless, the initial protests to reform the job quota system paused after the Supreme Court of Bangladesh scrapped most quotas on July 21. But protesters decided to return soon, demanding a public apology from Sheikh Hasina for the violence.

Days later, the demonstrations exacerbated into a campaign seeking the politician’s ouster as people demanded justice for those killed. Hasina’s critics and rights groups have accused her government of using excessive force, a charge the government denies.