Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, resigned and fled to neighboring India on Monday, August 5 2024 after violent protests erupted across the country.
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The unrest, fueled by weeks of deadly anti-government demonstrations, saw protesters storming Hasina’s official residence in Dhaka.
Celebratory scenes unfolded as protesters, mostly young students, celebrated the end of Hasina’s 15-year rule.
They climbed on military tanks and vandalized a statue of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a key figure in Bangladesh’s independence.
In a national address, Bangladesh’s army chief, Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman, confirmed Hasina’s resignation and announced that the military would establish an interim government.
He urged protesters to support the transition to peace and assured them that the military and police had been instructed not to use force.
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A senior official from Bangladesh’s foreign ministry reported that Hasina is now in a “safer” location near Delhi. Meanwhile, images from Dhaka showed flames engulfing vehicles near Hasina’s residence as protesters looted and vandalized the building.
The violence intensified on Sunday, resulting in at least 91 deaths and hundreds of injuries during clashes between police and protesters.
The unrest, which included demands to abolish discriminatory job quotas and Hasina’s resignation, was the deadliest day of protests in recent Bangladeshi history.
This surpassed the previous high of 67 deaths on July 19 and added to the toll of at least 32 children killed in earlier protests.
The violence spread to major cities such as Rajshahi, Barisal, and Chittagong, leading to the imposition of an indefinite nationwide curfew.
Human rights groups have accused the authorities of using excessive force against protesters, a claim the government denies.
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