Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigns and leaves Bangladesh, ending 15-year rule
CTV
Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday, ending 15 years in power as thousands of protesters defied a military curfew and stormed her official residence.
Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday, ending 15 years in power as thousands of protesters defied a military curfew and stormed her official residence.
Shortly after local media showed the embattled leader boarding a military helicopter with her sister, Bangladesh's military chief Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman announced plans to seek the president's guidance on forming interim government.
He promised that the military would stand down, and to launch an investigation into the deadly crackdowns that fuelled outrage against the government, and asked citizens for time to restore peace.
"Keep faith in the military, we will investigate all the killings and punish the responsible," he said. "I have ordered that no army and police will indulge in any kind of firing."
"Now, the students' duty is to stay calm and help us," he added.
The protests began peacefully in late June, as students sought an end to a quota system for government jobs, but turned violent after clashes between protesters and police and pro-government activists at Dhaka University.
The government's attempts to quell the demonstrations with force, curfews and internet shutdowns backfired, prompting further outrage as nearly 300 people were killed and leading to demands for an end to her 15 years in power.
