Foreign
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns and flees as protesters invade palace
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and left the country after protesters invaded the government’s palace.
Footage online shows protesters looting Hasina’s official residence in the capital Dhaka.
Some of the demonstrators were also seen carrying chairs and what looks like a sofa from the Ganabhaban residence.
The longtime leader of the country was said to have boarded a military helicopter after crowds ignored a national curfew and stormed the prime minister’s palace.
Hasina, 76, and her sister earlier took a military to India’s eastern state of West Bengal, according to media reports,
The PM was said to have been forced to quit after massive protests against her government over a controversial quota system that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971.
Close to 300 people have died in the weeks of protest the authorities tried to crush.
Following a night of deadly violence that killed close to 100 on Sunday, tension remained high on Monday as protesters called for a march on Dhaka and the army prepared to address the nation.
In the early afternoon, the media began reporting that the atmosphere on the streets had shifted to a celebratory one as news of Hasina’s departure spread.
Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-Uz-Zaman has canceled his planned address and is instead holding talks with major political parties, including the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Hasina has ruled Bangladesh since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January after a vote without genuine opposition.
Rights groups accuse her government of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including through the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists.
Demonstrations began over the reintroduction of a quota scheme that reserved more than half of all government jobs for certain groups.
Follow us on social media:
“Who did this to you?” – Video of a pregnant lady flaunting her massive baby bump sparks mixed reactions online
DHQ hails Simon Ekpa’s arrest and hopes he will be extradited to Nigeria to face justice
“God is still in the business of doing wonders, please keep trusting God” – Emotional moment gospel singer Yinka Alaseyori serenades actress Dayo Amusa who gave birth to her first child at 41 years (Video)
Diddy claims prosecutors showed judge edited Cassie video to make him look dangerous
“Tinubu Has A Better Policy Document Than Peter Obi, Atiku” – Doyin Okupe says
Five soldiers k!lled, 10 wounded and four missing as Boko Haram attacks troops in Borno
Wizkid’s sister blows hot after being dragged for comparing brother to Albert Einstein
“FC dey do too much” – Video of a Wizkid die-hard fan bathing with a JBL speaker as he dances to the singer’s hit song “Dance” stirs the internet (Watch)
-
Celebrity Gossip & Gist1 day agoWizkid’s sister blows hot after being dragged for comparing brother to Albert Einstein
-
Love & Relationship1 day agoLady cries out as she discovers her boyfriend of 11 months secretly infected her with HIV (Video)
-
Celebrity Gossip & Gist7 hours agoDiddy claims prosecutors showed judge edited Cassie video to make him look dangerous
-
Foreign1 day ago“US approving Ukraine to use missiles against Russia a big mistake” – Turkish president Erdogan