Sheikh Hasina resigns and flees the country

Kathmandu:

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is believed to have resigned and fled the country amid violent protests and the government’s ruthless retaliation.

Al Jazeera reported, quoting an aide to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, that she boarded a military helicopter after crowds ignored a national curfew and stormed the prime minister’s residence. Her helicopter landed at Agartala in India.

Nearly 300 people have died during weeks of protests that the authorities have attempted to suppress. Following a night of deadly violence that claimed close to 100 lives on Sunday, tensions remained high on Monday as protesters called for a march on Dhaka and the army prepared to address the nation, Al Jazeera said.

The reported departure of Sheikh Hasina is being celebrated by the protesters.

Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman has canceled his planned address and is instead holding talks with major political parties, including the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.