Toppled Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina flees Dhaka, likely to take refuge in London

Amid massive protests, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country on Monday (August 5).

A report by Dhaka Tribune said around 2:30 pm on Monday Hasina took a military helicopter, accompanied by her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana.

Hasina arrives in India

After fleeing Bangladesh, Hasina arrived in Tripura’s capital Agartala in the northeast India.

From Agartala, Hasina arrived at the Hindon air base in Ghaziabad. Upon her arrival, she held a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Following the meeting with Hasina, Doval joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg for a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CSS).

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After a stop-over in India, Hasina is expected to depart to London to live out her remaining days in exile, according to reports.

Prior to the confirmation of Hasina’s arrival in India, flight data from Flightradar24 showed that a Bangladesh Air Force aircraft identified as a Lockheed C-130J Hercules crossed over from Bangladesh to India.

A report by ANI quoted sources as saying that Indian security agencies were monitoring a C-130 aircraft with call sign AJAX1431 since 10 kms from Indian border with Bangladesh and it was heading towards Delhi.

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It was reported that Hasina and some members of her entourage were on this plane, sources to ANI said.

“The C-130 aircraft is expected to reach around 1700-1715 hours (5 to 5:15 pm) at a runway here. The Bangladesh Air Force plane has crossed Patna and reached near Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border. Top security brass monitoring the situation very closely. All radars active and keeping a close watch on it,” sources to ANI further said.

Sheikh Hasina resigns

Hasina’s resignation comes a day after nearly 100 people, including 14 cops, were killed in clashes with police. The violence has been worst since the birth of the South Asian nation more than five decades ago. Protesters have been demanding for her resignation.

Earlier on Monday, AFP quoted a source as saying Hasina left Ganabhaban (the Bangladesh PM’s official residence) in the capital Dhaka along with her sister to a “safer place”.

“She wanted to record a speech. But she could not get an opportunity to do that,” the source tp AFP further said.

In January, Hasina (76) won a fifth term as prime minister, but the opposition boycotted a vote it said was neither free nor fair.

Protesters storm Bangladesh PM’s palace

Amid reports of Hasina’s resignation and leaving Bangladesh, protesters, majorly students, in the country began celebrating. They stormed prime minister’s palace.

Visuals from Bangladesh showed a massive crowd waving flags, peacefully celebrating including some dancing on top of a tank.

Footages being run on Bangladeshi TV channels showed protesters storming Hasina’s palace, overturning furniture, smashing glass door panels, and carrying off books and other items including a live chicken.

In the early hours of Monday, Hasina’s son urged the security forces in Bangladesh to block any takeover from her rule.

Also Read: Bangladesh riots: Sheikh Hasina’s son urges security forces to block takeover amid mass protests

Awami League Dhaka district office set on fire

Protestors have been setting fire to Awami League offices in various districts across Bangladesh.

What happens next?

Bangladesh’s Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman made a rare television appearance to make a brief address to the nation soon after Hasina resigned and fled from the country. He said that the Army will form an interim government soon with the participation of all parties.

“After holding a fruitful discussion with all political parties, we have decided to form an interim government. We will speak with President Mohammed Shahabuddin now to resolve the situation," he said.

The Bangladesh Army Chief also called for a halt to all violence in name of protest and promised that the new government will ensure justice for all the deaths that took place during the Anti-Discriminatory Student Movement.

BSF issues ‘high alert’

Amid Bangladesh protests and another major developments in the country, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has issued ‘high alert’ to all units along 4,096 km of India-Bangladesh border.

With inputs from agencies