Bangladesh’s embattled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is reported to leave for London after arriving in India, according to a source close to the Bangladesh Army. Hasina, who fled Dhaka amid ongoing protests, is reportedly making this trip as the situation in the south Asian country remains volatile.
The sources said that Hasina would likely to land in India then would take a commercial flight to London.
Hasina on Monday resigned from her post and left the country, claimed home minister Asaduzzaman Khan. Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, Khan said: “Sheikh Hasina has resigned. I have received the information that she has resigned”.
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Hasina, 76, fled Bangladesh earlier today following month long massive and deadly anti-government protests across the country. Hasina, who has ruled since 2009, had defied weeks of demands for her to stand down but fled following a brutal day of unrest on Sunday in which around 100 people were killed.
The protesters earlier today had stormed Ganabhaban, the prime ministerial residence, in Dhaka.
Hasina coming to India?
Several reports claimed that the embattled prime minister is heading towards India. Hasina’s helicopter is heading to New Delhi. Upon arrival, she will be taken to safe place in Delhi for the time being. Her departure is not immediate and she will be meeting top Indian bureaucrats today evening. She left Dhaka earlier today on a helicopter with her sister.
According to the reports, Hasina has been given the green light by the Indian government for entry into India. Despite initial security concerns, top Indian government officials are coordinating her arrival.
According to the sources, Indian security agencies are monitoring the C-130 aircraft with call sign AJAX1431 since 10 km from Indian border with Bangladesh and it is heading towards Delhi. It is believed that Hasina and some members of her entourage are on this plane.
Interim Govt to be formed soon:
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman has announced that Hasina has resigned and an interim government will be formed and take over the government and administration soon.
“I’m taking all responsibility (of the country). Please cooperate,” he said in a televised address amid reports that Hasina has left the country.
The Army chief said he had met political leaders and told them the Army would take over responsibility for law and order. As protests spiralled across the country, he said he had asked both Army and police not to fire any shots.
What happened in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh has been engulfed by protests and violence that began last month over the controversial quota system that reserves 30 per cent of the government jobs for the families of veterans who fought the 1971 liberation war.
The protest escalated into a campaign to seek the ouster of Hasina, who won a fourth straight term in January in an election boycotted by the opposition. Over 100 people have been killed in the last two days in a wave of violence across the country of 170 million people as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse tens of thousands of protesters.
Catch the latest developments on Bangladesh’s political unrest in our live blog.
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