- Bangladesh celebrates after PM Sheikh Hasina flees country
- It ends the 76-year-old’s two-decade dominance in the country
- Celebrations erupted in the streets, with some protesters storming the prime ministerial palace
- The country’s president ordered the release of the former PM as well as students who were detained in recent protests
- President Shahabuddin announced plans to form an interim government, call new elections, and lift a national curfew
Bangladesh celebrates after PM Sheikh Hasina flees country
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stepped down following weeks of violent anti-government protests, ending her over two-decade-long dominance in the country’s politics. The 76-year-old leader reportedly fled to India on Monday.
Celebrations erupted in the streets, with some protesters storming the prime ministerial palace and causing damage. In the wake of Hasina’s resignation, President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered the release of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and students detained during recent demonstrations against a government job quota system.
President Shahabuddin announced plans to form an interim government, call new elections, and lift a national curfew. The capital, Dhaka, witnessed significant unrest, with attacks on police and government buildings, and attempts to dismantle a statue of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father.
The statues are coming down in #Bangladesh 🇧🇩 pic.twitter.com/Qru4Y4LpPY
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) August 5, 2024
Authorities deployed army and police units, and mobile phone services were temporarily cut off. Reports indicate dozens of deaths, with estimates ranging from 66 to 135.
Hasina’s resignation leaves a significant void in Bangladeshi politics, historically marked by rivalry between her Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The country has seen several military coups, the last occurring in 2007.