Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned after 15 years and fled the country after violent protests, with protesters storming her home and places associated with her.
Hasina and her sister landed in India via a military helicopter.
The protests began on July 1 at the University of Dhaka, protesting the “quota system for government jobs that they said favored those with connections to the prime minister’s Awami League party.”
The violence began when the police started attacking the students. The protests have left almost “300 dead since mid-July.”
The government, ruled by the Awami League, shut down schools as officials “slowed down internet connectivity to stop the spread of rumors and protect citizens, making it harder for protesters to organize and make plans via social media platforms.”
Military chief Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman told the country the military will work with the opposition and others to form an interim government.
He also promised an investigation into those who used force against the students.
Hasina served as prime minister for four terms:
The 76-year-old — who was the longest-serving female head of government — was elected for a fourth consecutive term in a January vote that was boycotted by her main opponents. Thousands of opposition members were jailed in the lead-up to the polls, and the U.S. and the U.K. denounced the result as not credible, though the government defended it.
Hasina had cultivated ties with powerful countries, including both India and China. But under her, relations with United States and other Western nations have come under strain, as they have expressed concerns over human rights violations and press freedoms in the predominantly Muslim nation of 170 million people.
Bangladesh thrived under Hasina, but too many saw her reign put the country under one-party, shutting down the minority voices.
Hasina stretched her authority, rewarding those loyal to her with money and powerful positions.
Those against Hasina faced crackdowns and prison sentences.
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