Sheikh Hasina resigns and flees country amid massive protests
BANGLADESHI Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid has resigned from office after holding the position for a whopping 15 years.
Troubles for her began with protests over the quota system as students and other people across the country took to the streets to demand an end to the outdated and unjust system that had become widely unpopular. Students of both public and private universities called for an end to the system that dictated government job recruitment.
The government responded with force, ordering police to neutralise the protesters, according to sources. The protests soon turned deadly as the police began killing protesters; in return the protesters began killing police personnel.
It was at that juncture that goals of the movement changed, according to analysts, as the protesters called for an end to “the dictatorial and authoritarian rule of Sheikh Hasina”. The government attempted to use force once again to subdue the protesters, but to no avail.
The movement went viral on social media across the globe, garnering attention and support from all across the world. As the situation worsened, the government decided to shut off all social media platforms to limit the amount of information going out of the country.
Then the country’s powerful military stepped in, taking the side of the people; the army chief claimed the army stood for justice. On Monday morning, Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country aboard a military aircraft.
Army Chief Waker-uz-Zaman confirmed this during a televised broadcast and said that an all-party conference had decided to set up an interim administration until further notice. He also vowed to find a solution to the crisis by nightfall.
He urged the people to trust him and lay down weapons to help guide the country through turbulent times.
As the future remains unclear, the troubles have left at least 220 protesters and 200 non-protesters dead, with 12,000 arrested and at least 25,000 injured. Twelve members of the ruling Awami League have also been killed, say credible sources.