Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reportedly resigned and fled the country amid escalating protests. Army Chief Waker uz Zaman confirmed her departure and announced that an interim government would assume power. According to Channel 24, protesters stormed Hasina's official residence on Monday afternoon, ransacking the building and looting food supplies. BBC Bangla reported that Hasina is heading to Agartala in India's Tripura state, though there has been no official confirmation of her resignation or departure from Dhaka.
Reports suggest that Hasina, accompanied by her sister, left the Bangladeshi capital by helicopter. The private Jamuna television news channel indicated that she was forced to step down due to widespread protests against a controversial quota system that reserved 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 War of Independence.
The protests, which initially began as a student movement against the civil service job quotas, have since evolved into a broader anti-government uprising demanding Hasina's resignation. Over the past month, approximately 300 people have died in the government's crackdown on demonstrations. In an attempt to curb the unrest, the government ordered a complete internet shutdown, which was later partially lifted. The protesters, calling for a "Long March to Dhaka," have continued to mobilize the public against the government.
