Bangladesh: PM Sheikh Hasina resigns amidst riots and rising death toll

By Francesco Bartolini

Violence and massive protests continue across Bangladesh as July saw over 200 people killed and thousands injured in student-led manifestations against a controversial quota system for government jobs.

A further 95 people, including 14 police officers, were killed over the weekend after more civil uproar against the deaths that ensued following last month’s protests. Some say this has been the country’s worst wave of violence in five decades.

In over half of the country’s districts, the local media reported attacks on government buildings and offices, as well as vandalism of police stations and houses of representatives.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, resigned and fled to India on Monday after fifteen years and four consecutive terms in office.

Over her tenure, several allegations of vote rigging and suppressing dissent circled the media. Opposition party members’ arrests prior to January’s polling day raised eyebrows about her election victory.

At 6pm on Sunday evening, the government imposed a nationwide curfew and suspended various services including railway, internet and text. Internet returned in the late hours of Monday morning, and the government’s attempt to stifle unrest proved inefficient.

The UN expressed concerns over excessive violence against the student protesters, advocating nonviolence and de-escalation to avoid more unnecessary casualties.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that protesters disregarded the military curfew, stormed and vandalised Sheikh Hasina’s official residence in Dhaka on Monday morning after smoke was seen coming from the premises.

Upon the news of Hasina’s resignation, the people of Bangladesh took to the streets of Dhaka and the rest of the country to celebrate the end of her Awami League premiership.

Bangladesh’s Army Chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, is set to form an interim government, and will meet soon with President Mohammed Shahabuddin to discuss the next steps.