Sheikh Hasina has resigned as Prime Minister of Bangladesh in the wake of intense anti-government protests and has reportedly departed for London. Sources close to the situation confirmed her departure on Monday.
According to reports from Dhaka, Sheikh Hasina’s resignation was announced earlier today, followed by her immediate departure from the country. ProthomAlo reported that her military helicopter took off from Bangabhaban, the official residence of the Bangladesh President, at 2:30 PM local time. Sheikh Rehana, Hasina’s younger sister, accompanied her on the flight, with initial reports suggesting their destination was West Bengal, India.
Tensions escalated when protesters breached the gates of Gono Bhaban, Hasina’s residence, around 3 PM today, as reported by The Daily Star. Thousands of participants in the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement gathered at Mirpur 10 and marched towards Farmgate, demanding the resignation of Hasina and her cabinet. The movement had earlier declared a singular demand for Hasina’s resignation at a rally held on August 3 at Central Shaheed Minar.
In response to the ongoing unrest, which stems from demands for quota reforms in civil service, Hasina had previously invited the protesting students to a dialogue at Gono Bhaban, seeking to mitigate the violence. However, her invitation did little to quell the unrest, which has seen violent clashes, including attacks on state institutions and law enforcement.
The protests intensified following the announcement of a “March to Dhaka” by the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement. This demonstration, initially scheduled for Tuesday, was rescheduled to today, further exacerbating the situation. In response to the escalating crisis, the Bangladeshi government has announced a three-day shutdown of public and private offices, including banks, as a precautionary measure.
The recent wave of violence has claimed at least 93 lives and left thousands injured, with many sustaining gunshot wounds. The unrest has been attributed to discontent over a new policy favoring descendants of freedom fighters for government jobs, which has fueled further demonstrations and violence.
As the situation remains volatile, the political landscape in Bangladesh is under significant strain, with the future of Hasina’s government and the nation’s stability hanging in the balance.