According to the Chief of the Bangladesh Army, Waker-Uz-Zaman, he declared Hasina’s resignation. The military would form an interim administration.
Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, left her position on Monday. After 15 years in power, her tenure ended amid weeks of violent protests. The military then declared it would set up a transitional administration.
Since early July, Hasina has tried to put an end to rallies around the country. She left following Sunday’s disturbance, which claimed almost a hundred lives.
Military chief of Bangladesh, Waker-Uz-Zaman, announced on Monday that Sheikh Hasina had resigned. In a broadcast on state television, he declared that the armed forces would establish a transitional administration.
Waker declared, “It’s time to put an end to the violence. Many people have been killed, the economy has taken a hit, and the country has suffered greatly.” “I’m hoping that the situation will improve after my speech.”
The protesters broke into Hasina’s Dhaka palace
The demonstrators invaded 76-year-old Hasina’s Dhaka palace. Later, a source reported to AFP that she had departed the country via helicopter. The source claimed that she first left in a motorcade before being flown out, without disclosing her destination.
Before Monday morning, hundreds of people broke through the gates of Hasina’s official residence. In the streets, crowds waved flags and some danced atop a tank. Channel 24 in Bangladesh aired footage of the revelers running into the compound and waving to the camera. Others destroyed a statue of Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who is the nation’s independence hero.
Hasina’s son pleaded with the nation’s security services to prevent any takeover before the demonstrators stormed the facility.
Her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who lives in the US, wrote on Facebook, “Your duty is to keep our people safe, our country safe and to uphold the constitution.” “It means that it is your responsibility to ensure that no unelected government has power for even a moment.”
Protests against civil service job quotas began last month. These protests later turned into calls for Hasina’s resignation. Throughout these protests, security forces stood behind Hasina’s government. Sunday was the deadliest day of the rioting, with at least 94 people slain, including 14 police officers. Security personnel fired fire as protesters and government supporters engaged in combat with sticks and knives.
The violence on the day resulted in at least 300 deaths. Since the protests began in early July, this number has been reported based on information from police, government representatives, and hospital physicians (according to an AFP count).
Bangladesh military coup in the past
Following months of intense political turmoil in Bangladesh, the military declared an emergency in January 2007. They proclaimed a caretaker administration that lasted for two years with military support.
After taking over as leader of Bangladesh in 2009, Hasina was victorious in the January election in the absence of any serious challengers.
Rights organizations accused her government of abusing state institutions. They cited the unlawful assassination of opposition activists as one example. Critics also accused the government of utilizing these actions to bolster its control over power and suppress dissent.
Bangladesh’s highest court retracted the plan, but the demonstrations persisted. On Monday morning, soldiers and police in armored vehicles blocked the path to Hasina’s office in Dhaka with barbed wire. But, large crowds poured into the streets and knocked down the barricades.
Over 400,000 protestors came on the street
The Business Standard Daily reported a large number of demonstrators on the streets, estimated to be over 400,000. However, it was impossible to confirm this number.
Asif Mahmud, one of the main organizers of the countrywide campaign of civil disobedience, declared, “The time has come for the final protest.”
The protests of the previous month resulted in violent crackdowns. In contrast, the military and police did not intervene during the demonstrations on Sunday in several instances.
Reputable former army chief asked that troops be removed “immediately” and that protests be permitted. Ex-army leader General Ikbal Karim Bhuiyan told reporters on Sunday, “Those who are responsible for pushing people of this country to a state of such extreme misery will have to be brought to justice.”
In the South Asian nation with approximately 170 million people, the anti-government movement has attracted participants from various backgrounds. Among them are singers, musicians, and movie stars.
The FCDO has advised against visiting any part of Bangladesh save what is necessary. Due to the current circumstances, the family members of employees at the British High Commission have been temporarily relocated. Still, the high commission keeps up its vital role, which includes helping British citizens.
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Bangladesh: Monday saw at least 135 fatalities due to nationwide violence.
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