Shiekh Hasina flees Bangladesh; protestors storm her residence, Chief Justice’s residence vandalised

Protests and incidents of vandalism were reported from the streets of Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Monday, a day when Shiekh Hasina tendered her resignation and left the country amidst weeks of student-led protests that escalated into violence.

Visuals aired on TV, local media and social media platforms showed people ransacking Sheikh Hasina’s official residence and taking away eatables.

People were also seen storming into the parliament building and decamping with things.

Shortly after the 76-year-old leader, accompanied by her sister left the country in a military helicopter Bangladesh’s military chief General. Waker-uz-Zaman urged protestors to shun violence. The army chief announced that an interim government will soon be formed.

The protests majorly by students demanded an end to a quota system for government jobs and had grown into an uprising against Hasina and her ruling Awami League party. At least 95 people, including at least 14 police officers, died and hunderds of people were injured in clashes in Dhaka on Sunday, local media outlet Prothom Alo reported.

The country’s leading Bengali-language daily newspaper, Prothom Alo, said that protesters also set fire to Sudha Sadan, the unofficial residence of Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi.

“Today around 5:30 pm, Sudha Sadan was vandalized. A fire was also set inside the house. Taking things out of the house and leaving,” the Bangladesh daily said.

Prothom Alo also reported that the residence of Chief Justice of the country was also vandalized. Several people were seen entering the Chief Justice’s residence located on 19 Hair Road by climbing over the wall.

Screams could be heard from inside and reports of vandalism were also coming in, the media outlet reported.

Meanwhile, protests and celebrations were reported from other parts of Dhaka with some protestors cheering the news of the resignation of Sheikh Hasina.

Local media outlet Prothom Alo reported that protesters also set fire to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum at 32 Dhanmondi.

It reported that there was a raging fire and anti-government protesters chanted slogans. Agitators also set fire to the Dhaka district office of Awami League, whose leader is Sheikh Hasina.

Local media also played out visuals of protesters vandalising a statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina’s father known as Bangabandhu who had led the country’s fight for Independence from Pakistan.

The agitators started the fire at around 4 pm today and the fire spread to the gas cylinder shop nearby.

Earlier, many protestors entered the Ganabhabhan, the Prime Minister’s official residence after it was reported that Shiekh Hasina had fled Dhaka after resigning from her position.

Prothom Alo reported that protestors were seen cheering with their hands raised in the grounds of Ganabhaban. They were chanting slogans. Earlier in the day, thousands of people took to the streets in Dhaka as part of the ‘Long March to Dhaka’ programme called by the Anti-discrimination Student Movement to demand the resignation of the government.

Meanwhile, security agencies in India began monitoring a C-130 Aircraft with call sign AJAX1431 as it flew in close proximity to the Indian border. Sources said the aircraft was headed towards Delhi. Sources say that it is believed that Sheikh Hasina and some members of her entourage are on this plane. The aircraft is expected to reach around 1700-1715 hours at a runway in Delhi.

Earlier, Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General Waqar-uz-Zaman said that Sheikh Hasina, who was elected for an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in January this year, had resigned from the post of Prime Minister.

The Amry chief in a televised address said, now the political transition period is going on and an interim government will be formed. He said “all murders will be judged.” He also called on people to trust in the army and shun violence.

The Army chief said to the people, “Maintain peace and order in the country. You trust me, let’s work together. Please help, we won’t get anything by fighting. Avoid conflict. We have built a beautiful country together.”

In response to a question from journalists the Army Chief said that he had met representatives of the BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami. Teachers Afis Nazrul and Jonaid Saki were also present in the meeting. However, the students’ representatives could not be contacted.

Chief of Army Staff General Waqar-uz-Zaman said, “We will now go to Bangabhvan. There will be a detailed discussion about the formation of the interim government.”