Euphoria in Bangladesh As PM Sheikh Hasina Flees Country

After weeks of deadly anti-government protests, which marks an end to more than two decades at the top of the country's politics, Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina has resigned.

Ms Hasina, 76, fled the country, reportedly landing in India today happy crowds took to the streets to celebrate the news, with some storming the prime ministerial palace, reportedly looting and vandalising parts of her former residence.

Hours after Ms Hasina's resignation, President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered the release of jailed former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia.

Army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman said the military would begin talks on forming an interim government.

In a televised address on Monday afternoon, Waker-uz-Zaman said an interim government would be formed. He added that he would meet President Mohammed Shahabuddin and was hoping that a "solution" would be found by the end of the day.

The army chief said he had already spoken to the country's opposition political parties, but did not make clear who would head the new government. He urged Bangladeshis to trust the army, adding that "all killings, all injustice" would be "examined".

Protesters were seen carrying out furniture from the prime minister's residence.

In Dhaka, police and other government buildings were attacked and set on fire. Protesters attempted to tear down a statue of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ms Hasina's father.

Army and police units were deployed across the city. Mobile phone service was reportedly cut off for several hours before being restored.

At least 20 people were reported killed on Monday.

Ms. Hasina's departure leaves a significant void in Bangladeshi politics, historically dominated by the rivalry between her Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The country has experienced several military coups, the most recent occurring in 2007.

Her allies have stated that Ms. Hasina will not return to politics. The former prime minister, who first came to power in 1996, has served a total of 20 years in office. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, told the BBC's Newshour programme: "She’s in her late 70s. She is so disappointed that after all her hard work, for a minority to rise up against her, I think she’s done. My family and I are done."

Critics of Ms. Hasina's rule highlight issues such as forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the suppression of opposition figures and government critics. However, Mr. Wazed, who also served as an adviser to the prime minister on technology, defended his mother's record. "She has turned Bangladesh around in the last 15 years. When she took over power, it was considered a failing state. It was a poor country. Until today, it was considered one of the rising tigers of Asia."

Dr Chietigj Bajpaee, a senior research fellow at the Chatham House think tank, said the country's high unemployment rates had made the quotas, which reserve a third of civil service jobs for descendants of veterans of the country's 1971 independence war with Pakistan, a particularly salient political issue.

"Public sector job quotas – with 400,000 new graduates competing for 3,000 civil service jobs – became a lightning rod for anti-government unrest," Dr Bajpaee said.

He added that the speed of events reflected frustration among Bangladeshi youth over the country’s "one-party rule" over the last 15 years.

"In a country with such a vibrant civil society, efforts to curb political freedoms and free speech were bound to trigger a blowback."

Most of the quota was scaled back by the government following a Supreme Court ruling last month, but students continued to protest, demanding justice for those killed and injured, and Ms Hasina' resignation.

Mr Bhattacharya said protesters now expected the new government to go through with their demands, including democratic reforms, better jobs and improvements to the education system.

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