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Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country on Monday, a top military official said, ending 15 years in power. Her departure comes after weeks of anti-government violence that left more than 300 people dead.
Thousands of protesters stormed her official residence, Ganabhaban, in Dhaka as reports emerged that Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, had departed for a "safe shelter".
Bangladesh's army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said an interim government would take charge. Earlier in the day, he held talks with leaders of various political parties, including the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP, and other stakeholders today, local media reported.
Sheikh Hasina's whereabouts were not immediately confirmed. According to reports, she and her sister were flown to India in a military helicopter.
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.
On Sunday, nearly 100 people were killed as the protesters clashed with security officials and the ruling party activists across the country.
