Dhaka, Bangladesh: In shocking developments in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka today, the Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced in a televised press conference, that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned from her post and the Bangladesh Army has taken control as it forms an interim government.
The Bangladesh Army chief asked people to cooperate and refrain from violence, announcing the formation of an Interim Government, as the army was in talks with all political parties.
Footage of Sheikh Hasina leaving her official residence in Dhaka via an army helicopter has been shared widely on social media.
This shocking political development follows unprecedented visuals from Bangladesh, which has witnessed lakhs of Bangladeshi citizens, students and youth rioting on the streets, as Sheikh Hasina’s party, the Awami League faces mass civil anger and protests.
The cause of nation-wide protests and now resignation of PM Hasina has been the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement, which began in June 2024 after the reinstatement of a 30% quota for descendants of Bangladeshi freedom fights who lost their lives in the Bangladesh Liberation war of 1971.
Facing massive uproar, Sheikh Hasina’s government reversed the government decision of 2018 but the protests, which initially began as a response to the reinstatement of quota system for government jobs, quickly spread throughout the entire country because of the government’s violent response, as well as growing public dissatisfaction against PM Hasina’s rule due to mass unemployment, corruption as well as a stifling of public dissent.
At least 300 Bangladeshi citizens have lost their lives in the protests.
The shocking resignation marks the end of 15 years of Sheikh Hasina’s rule as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Later in the day, Bangladesh’s President, Mohammed Shahabuddin while addressing the nation, dissolved the parliament as he ordered the release of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who was under house arrest after being convicted in several cases under Sheikh Hasina’s rule. The President made the remarks in the presence of the Chief of three Bangladeshi armed forces and said that the interim government will hold fresh general elections soon.
The Bangaleshi Army meanwhile has taken control of the nation in order to stem the anarchy and chaos on the streets of Dhaka.
Soon after Sheikh Hasina fled the country, people broke into her official residence ‘Ganabhadan,’ where they set fires, carried out furniture and pulled raw fish from the refrigerators. Social media was full of graphic visuals of protesters publicly displaying the personal clothes of the fmr. PM, lying on her bed, even as many more stormed the Bangladesh parliament building, Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, where they hung a banner reading “justice.”
Crowds also ransacked Hasina’s family’s ancestral home-turned-museum where her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — the country’s first president and independence leader — was assassinated. They torched major offices of the ruling party and two pro-government TV stations, forcing both to go off air.
Adding to the anarchy, some elements in the crowd toppled Sheikh Mujibar Rahman’s statue – beheading it – and carrying the dismembered head across the streets. Mujibar Rahman is considered the ‘Father of Bangladesh’ and is widely respected in the country.
In a statement later in the night, the United Nation’s human rights chief, Volker Türk, said the transition of power in Bangladesh must be “in line with the country’s international obligations” and “inclusive and open to the meaningful participation of all Bangladeshis.”
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement that he “deplores the further loss of life during protests in Bangladesh over the weekend. He continues to closely follow developments in the country, including Chief of Army Staff’s announcement regarding the resignation of PM Hasina.”
Notably, Bangladesh Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Muhammad Yunus, hailed the students of the country as the best in the world, calling the resignation of PM Sheikh Hasina the “Second Liberation for Bangladesh,” adding “They have released the country from the hands of a dictator. We are free now. It’s time to celebrate.” He is now being considered for the post of ‘Chief Advisor’ to the new Interim Government as per popular demand by the student protesters.
Sheikh Hasina, meanwhile, landed at at Hindon military airbase near New Delhi after fleeing Dhaka and met India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. It is unclear whether she was taken to safe house in India or has flown out of the country to a third nation, with sources telling IAAN Express that her final destination is a third country, most likely the United Kingdom.
Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, spoke to multiple media outlets late in the night saying “Bangladesh will become the next Pakistan. Bangladeshis are ungrateful people” adding that “Sheikh Hasina wont make a political comeback.”
The Indian Government has been extremely tight lipped on these shocking and monumental developments throughout the day, with official sources only saying “We consider this an internal matter of Bangladesh and are following the situation closely.” The Indian Border Security Force, which gaurds the Indo-Bangladesh border has been put on high alert across the entire 4,096 km border.
The Government held an emergency Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting last night at PM Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi. The CCS is India’s highest decision making authority on security issues. The Government of India is also set to host an all party meeting on the situation, with External Affairs Minister (foreign minister) Dr S Jaishankar set to address the parliament on the issue on Tuesday.
(this article was originally published in the afternoon of 5 August and updated on the same night following important developments in this major breaking international news story)
