Bangladesh PM resigns, leaves country
The last few weeks have seen massive anti-government protests in Bangladesh, led mostly by students. Even after the Supreme Court nullified the 30 per cent reservation in government jobs for the descendants of the 1971 War of Liberation participants (‘muktijoddhas’) and brought it down to 5 per cent, the protesters persisted, this time demanding action on a nine-point agenda, failing which the Sheikh Hasina government had to resign.
In renewed firing on students on Sunday across cities in the country, including Dhaka, about a hundred were killed, bringing the total to around 300.
As the situation became increasingly complicated, Sheikh Hasina resigned from her post of prime minister earlier today and the Army took control of the government. Today afternoon, she arrived in Agartala, the capital of Tripura, via a Bangladesh Air Force helicopter.
Upon arriving in India, she was granted political asylum by New Delhi. She is currently being kept in an undisclosed safe house near New Delhi. The rumour is that she (and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, accompanying her) have sought political asylum in the United Kingdom and would possibly head to London in the coming day.
Bangladesh is now under curfew. Despite the curfew, masses of people have taken to the streets. The entire country is under military control. The army chief announced at a press conference that an interim government will be formed by the military.
