Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Resigns Amid Deadly Protests, Flees Country

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country on Monday after 15 years in power, amid weeks of anti-government violence that claimed over 300 lives, according to a top military official.

Thousands of protesters stormed her official residence, Ganabhaban, in Dhaka as news broke that Hasina, 76, and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, had departed for a "safe shelter."

General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Bangladesh's army chief, announced that an interim government would take over and assured that the military would stand down. He also promised a thorough investigation into the deadly crackdown on student protesters.

"We will investigate all the killings and punish those responsible," he said at a press conference. "I have ordered that no army or police personnel should engage in any kind of firing... Now, the students’ duty is to stay calm and help us."

Sources told India Today TV that many supporters of Bangladesh's Awami League are expected to cross into Agartala within the next 48 hours.

Earlier, the Army Chief held discussions with leaders of various political parties, including the ruling Awami League, the opposition BNP, and other stakeholders, as reported by local media.

Sheikh Hasina's exact location was not immediately confirmed, but reports indicate she and her sister were flown to India in a military helicopter.

### Deadly Unrest

The protests, which began peacefully in late June with students demanding an end to a government job quota system, turned violent after clashes with police and pro-government activists at Dhaka University.

The government’s attempts to suppress the demonstrations with force, curfews, and internet shutdowns backfired, intensifying public outrage and resulting in nearly 300 deaths. This led to widespread demands for Hasina's resignation.

Hasina accused the protesters of engaging in "sabotage" and criminal activities, urging people to handle them with "iron hands."

On Sunday, approximately 100 people were killed in clashes between protesters, security officials, and ruling party activists across the country.

Authorities initially cut off mobile internet access on Sunday to quell the unrest, with a brief suspension of broadband internet on Monday. A military-imposed curfew was enforced Sunday night across Dhaka and other key areas.

The government declared a holiday from Monday to Wednesday.

### Uprising and Ouster

Defying the nationwide curfew, thousands of protesters took to the streets for a planned "Long March to Dhaka" on Monday. In Dhaka, demonstrators marched past armored vehicles and heavily armed security personnel.

As protesters closed in, Sheikh Hasina and her sister left their official residence. Local reports indicated that a military helicopter carrying the Awami Party chief took off from Bangabhaban at 2:30 p.m. local time.

Shortly after, thousands stormed Hasina's official residence, Ganabhaban, shouting slogans and displaying victory signs. Some people were seen taking televisions, chairs, and tables from one of the country's most secure buildings.

### Genesis of Protests

The demonstrations began in June at university campuses after the High Court reinstated a quota system for government jobs, overturning a 2018 decision by Hasina's government to abolish it.

The protests escalated into violence on July 16, with student activists clashing with security officials and pro-government activists. Authorities responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and a curfew with a shoot-on-sight order. Internet and mobile data services were also suspended.

The Supreme Court eventually suspended the High Court order after the government's appeal and dismissed the lower court order, directing that 93% of jobs be open to candidates on merit.