Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is facing widespread protests in her country, on Monday reportedly fled to India, with reports claiming that her flight will land in Delhi at 5 pm.
She resigned from her post and the Army flight she is traveling is seen in Indian airspace. She is reportedly landing in Delhi at 5 pm, sources said.
The Army Chief held a press conference and confirmed her resignation. He said that an interim government will be formed to run the country and the country’s economy has suffered massively due to violent protests.
She departed from Bangabhaban at around 2:30 pm on Monday on a military helicopter, accompanied by her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana for a “safer place.”, ANI reported.
According to the reports, Hasina’s flight is above Hazaribagh right now, the flightradar 24 data showed. There are chances that she could land in Delhi at 5 pm after the flight was denied permission to land in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, India has canceled all its train services to and fro from Bangladesh.
“I am taking full responsibility,” the general said, dressed in military fatigues and cap, though it was not immediately clear if he would lead a caretaker government. “We will form an interim government,” Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman said in a broadcast on state television, adding that Sheikh Hasina had resigned.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina departed from Bangabhaban at around 2:30 pm on Monday on a military helicopter, accompanied by her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana for a “safer place,” Bangladesh media reports claimed.
Shortly after she left, thousands of protesters, driven by demands for the prime minister’s resignation, entered her official residence.
According to Bangladesh’s The Daily Star reports, the protesters opened the gates of the Gono Bhaban and entered the premises of the prime minister’s residence around 3:00 PM today.
According to some reports, Hasina has gone to a “safer place” in India.
The protests, which initially began as a student-led movement against civil service quotas, has turned into a nationwide uprising against PM Hasina and her government.
The development comes in the wake of violent clashes on Sunday, which left at least 90 people dead, including 13 police officers, and hundreds more injured.
The violence has prompted the government to impose an indefinite nationwide curfew in a bid to restore order. Internet services were also cut off for several hours.
Since July, the anti-quota protests in Bangladesh have claimed the lives of at least 280 people as demonstrations have spiralled into broader anti-government agitation.