Image: COURTESY
Bangladesh's Gen Z activists have staged significant protests that led to the resignation and fleeing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
This upheaval followed massive citizen protests against poor governance, which went unheard for some time.
The situation escalated when Gen Z protesters stormed Hasina's residence, forcing her to escape via helicopter, reportedly heading to India. This occurred after the crowd ignored a national curfew.
The protests, which began last month over civil service job quotas, have escalated into one of the most severe unrests of Hasina's 15-year rule, with growing demands for the 76-year-old leader to step down. On Sunday alone, at least 37 people were killed in clashes involving sticks, knives, and police rifle fire. This brought the total death toll since the protests began in July to at least 243. Over 200 of those deaths occurred in July, many due to police shootings.
In response to the unrest, security forces have detained around 10,000 people in a major crackdown over the past two weeks, including opposition supporters and students. Police have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators, and a nighttime curfew has been imposed in an attempt to quell the nationwide protests.
What started as a demand to abolish quotas in civil service jobs has expanded into a broader anti-government movement. As the clashes continue, Bangladesh's Chief of Army Staff, Waker-Uz-Zaman, confirmed the prime minister’s resignation and announced that an interim government would now run the country. He urged citizens to trust the army, which he assured would restore peace and ensure justice for all deaths and crimes related to the protests.
The Army chief called for public patience and an end to violence and vandalism. He also mentioned that representatives from all major political parties have agreed to collaborate with the interim government. On Sunday, he conducted a staff-level meeting, affirming that the Bangladesh Army "will stand by the people."
