Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and left the country, amid massive protests against her government that has killed more than 300. According to local reports, Sheikh Hasina has landed at India’s Hindon IAS Airbase in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad.
“Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has landed at Hindon Air Base in a C-130 transport aircraft. The aircraft will be parked near the Indian Air Force’s C-17 and C-130J Super Hercules aircraft hangars,” reported ANI,
The aircraft movement was monitored by Indian Air Force and security agencies from its entry into Indian airspace to the Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad.
The private Jamuna television news channel reported that Hasina was forced to quit as Prime Minister after massive protests against her government over a controversial quota system that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971.
In an address to the nation, Bangladesh’s army chief, Waker-Uz-Zaman said that the army would form an interim government adding that the Prime Minister had resigned in the face of overwhelming protests.
Waker has called for peace and has assured protestors that the army would not open fire.
The government earlier ordered a complete internet shutdown as protestors asked the general public to join a “Long March to Dhaka”. However, a government agency gave a verbal order to start broadband internet around 1:15 on Monday.
(With inputs from agencies.)
