As protests continued to pick up pace, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed resigned from her office and fled the country in a military helicopter to what is being reported as a ‘safe location’.
Sheikh Hasina, who is the daughter of country’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has served as the chief executive of the state for five non-concurrent terms. Her first tenure lasted from 23 June 1996 to 15 July 2001, and her second tenure lasted from 6 January 2009 to 5 August 2024. The longstanding premier of Bangladesh had to escape the Prime Minister’s Palace in Dhaka after protesters ignored the curfew to storm her residence.
Reportedly, the premier wanted to record a speech for fleeing, but she could not get the chance to do so. Her son also reportedly asked the military to block any attempts to seize power. Sheikh Hasina’s whereabouts remain unknown, the military has stepped up its activities to control the volatile situation. It has asked the people to maintain peace and has assured them that it would help form an interim government.
Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman addressed the nation following the premier’s exit and denied the notion of any curfew or state of emergency being imposed. He asked the citizens of Bangladesh to trust their army as it was working to find a solution to the crisis. He also assured the people that the recent deaths would be investigated. The army chief was previously reported to be holding talks with the political stakeholders, including those sitting on the opposition benches.
On Saturday, the military, which had previously ruled the country directly, expressed its support for the people. On Sunday, tensions were at an all-time high, as nearly 100 individuals had been killed in the night before. So far, as of Monday, 300 people have died during the protests. The protests that initially called for reformation of the quota for government jobs ultimately turned into a massive anti-government drive, with thousands of people taking to the streets, calling for the resignation of the Bangladeshi premier.
As the government cracked down on the protesters, the latter also called for the premier to publicly apologize and take responsibility for the students killed during the protests. While the initial goals were there, the protesters also started demanding accountability as civilian deaths started mounting amid a violent suppression of dissent. They demanded that vice-chancellors and proctors of certain universities should step down as their response to the violence against students had been insufficient.
Similarly, they also demanded that all law enforcement individuals, and military officials involved in violence against the people must be held accountable. The protestors also sought financial compensation for the families of students who had died or were injured in the protests. As reports of the Bangladeshi premier’s departure reached the protestors, they started celebrating the fulfilment of their one-point demand.