Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on Monday following a wave of anti-government protests that rocked the country. The protests, initially sparked by a controversial job quota system, quickly escalated into widespread calls for the 76-year-old leader’s resignation, leading to the tragic loss of over 150 lives in just two days. Accompanied by her sister Rehana, Hasina landed at the Hindon airbase near Delhi after India granted her aircraft safe passage through its airspace at Dhaka’s request. Reports suggest that Hasina may travel to London.
In a televised address to the nation, Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman announced Hasina’s resignation. He declared the formation of an interim government and urged protesters to end the violence. Addressing the situation, Hasina’s son and former official adviser, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, stated that his mother would not be returning to politics. He explained that Hasina left the country for her own safety at her family’s insistence, citing her disappointment with the protests. He emphasized her contributions to transforming Bangladesh from a failing state to a rising Asian tiger.
Media reports have suggested that Hasina may be seeking political asylum in the UK and could leave for London on Monday night. Alternatively, she may stay in India, potentially meeting her daughter Saima Wazed, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) regional director for Southeast Asia, who resides in Delhi. New Delhi is closely monitoring the situation in Dhaka, with national security adviser Ajit Doval and senior military officials meeting Hasina at the Hindon Airbase. The Indian Air Force and other security agencies are providing security to Hasina, who has been moved to a safe location. While there has been no official response from New Delhi regarding the events in Bangladesh, the latest violence brings the total number of fatalities since the protests began in early July to at least 320, according to an AFP tally based on police, government officials, and hospital records.
