Bangladesh PM Hasina Quits And Flees Country As Protesters Storm Palace
By Trek Africa Newspaper
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reportedly resigned and fled the country amid ongoing protests.
According to an aide speaking to Al Jazeera, Hasina boarded a military helicopter after protesters, defying a national curfew, stormed the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka.
Nearly 300 people have died in weeks of unrest that the authorities have tried to suppress. Following a night of violent clashes that resulted in nearly 100 deaths on Sunday, tensions remained high as protesters planned a march on Dhaka and the army prepared to address the nation.
By early afternoon, however, media reports indicated a shift in mood to one of celebration on the streets upon learning of Hasina’s departure.
Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman has canceled his planned address and is now engaged in discussions with major political parties, including the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
