Bangladesh PM Hasina quits and flees as protesters storm palace
Source: Aljazeera
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reportedly resigned and fled the country in the face of ongoing protests.
The longtime leader of the country has boarded a military helicopter, an aide told Al Jazeera, after crowds ignored a national curfew to storm the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka.
Close to 300 people have died amid weeks of protest the authorities have sought to crush. Following a night of deadly violence that killed close to 100 on Sunday, tension had remained high on Monday as protesters called for a march on Dhaka and the army prepared to address the nation.
By early afternoon, however, media reported that the mood on the streets had turned to one of celebration after the news of Hasina’s departure spread.
Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman has cancelled his planned address and is instead holding talks with major political parties, including the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Images on national television showed thousands of people breaking into the prime minister’s official residence. It also showed large crowds of protesters out in the street in scenes of jubilation as the news of the departure of Hasina started spreading.
Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury, reporting from Shahbag Square – the epicentre of the student protesters – said he has “never witnessed something like this” in the capital.
Read here the full article published by Aljazeera on 5 August 2024.
Image by Aljazeera
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reportedly resigned and fled the country in the face of ongoing protests.
The longtime leader of the country has boarded a military helicopter, an aide told Al Jazeera, after crowds ignored a national curfew to storm the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka.
Close to 300 people have died amid weeks of protest the authorities have sought to crush. Following a night of deadly violence that killed close to 100 on Sunday, tension had remained high on Monday as protesters called for a march on Dhaka and the army prepared to address the nation.
By early afternoon, however, media reported that the mood on the streets had turned to one of celebration after the news of Hasina’s departure spread.
Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman has cancelled his planned address and is instead holding talks with major political parties, including the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Images on national television showed thousands of people breaking into the prime minister’s official residence. It also showed large crowds of protesters out in the street in scenes of jubilation as the news of the departure of Hasina started spreading.
Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury, reporting from Shahbag Square – the epicentre of the student protesters – said he has “never witnessed something like this” in the capital.
Read here the full article published by Aljazeera on 5 August 2024.
Image by Aljazeera
