As the Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigned, protestors stormed her official residence, ‘Ganabhaban’ which translates to ‘peoples’ house’ with youth taking over the rooms used by the ousted Prime Minister.
Videos surfaced online showing protesters claiming the erstwhile Prime Minister’s bedroom, munching on the food in the dining hall, etc.
Another video shows protesters climbing up on the nation’s founding figure and first Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s statue.
They were seen vandalising the statue by chiselling Mujibur Rahman’s face with an axe, in disapproval of the Awami league regime. Sheikh Hasina is Mujibur Rahman’s daughter, and her resignation marks the end of a 15-year-long rule over the country.
Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is announced to be shut for 6 hours from 5:30pm BST, in efforts to limit movement in and out of the country.
As the country continues to be in chaos, with people storming and reportedly looting government properties, including the Dhaka Palace, the army’s efforts to restore peace in the country remain key to the future of Bangladesh.
Since her resignation, Monday, August 5, the Bangladesh army has taken control over the country following a month-long unrest in the country. The protests against the Awami League regime led by Shaikh Hasina had left more than 300 killed; thousands injured and jailed.
The country has been witnessing protests led by students demanding the scrapping of the controversial job quota system, which had reserved 50% of its government job opportunities to kins of country’s freedom fighters, which protesters say favours the supporters of the ruling Awami League party. The quota system was finally scrapped by the country’s Supreme Court on July 21.
The students, seeking accountability for the death of protesters, continued their agitation demanding the release of all jailed students who had been arrested during the protests.
These protests were received with an iron fist by the Sheikh Hasina government, in the aim of containing the protesters by brute force. The situation in the country spiralled into which the government gradually lost its control over the people.
In a last ditch attempt to remain in power, Shaikh Hasina’s police forces had unleashed extreme brutality over the protesters across the nation, killing at least 95 in a single day on Sunday, August 4.
In a televised address, Bangladesh army’s chief of staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, confirmed that the Prime Minister had left the country following overwhelming protests.
The army would form an interim government in the country and vowed to bring peace in the country and provide justice to the people who have been murdered during the protests.
General Waker-Uz-Zaman said that he has invited the President Mohammed Shahabuddin to discuss the way ahead.
He added that the army had positive talks with the leaders of different parties in the country, including the leaders of the student movement, who were leading the protests against the ousted Prime Minister.
“We request you to have faith in the army of the country. I take full responsibility and I assure you to not get disheartened.
I request you all to be a little patient, give us some time and together we will be able to solve all the problems”. – he appealed to the Bangladeshi citizens in his televised speech.
