Sheikh Hasina’s fall leads to anxiety, low turnout at govt offices

Attendance at various government offices in Dhaka on Tuesday remained low amid growing fear and anxiety after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, local media reports said.

Bangladesh descended into chaos after Prime Minister Hasina resigned and fled the country in a military aircraft while the Army stepped in to fill the power vacuum.

On the first day after the fall of Hasina’s government, a tense atmosphere prevailed at the Secretariat on Tuesday, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

Attendance in the ministry offices was significantly low, and ministers and Members of Parliament were notably absent. Those who did come to work were filled with fear and anxiety, the paper said.

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It was reported that the central office of the Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue was set on fire the previous night, with looting and vandalism taking place.

The smell of the fire from the AL office in the morning could be sensed by the Secretariat, increasing the fear among the officers and employees, the paper said.

There were also rumours among employees that the office had been closed.

Following Hasina’s resignation, the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) announced that a curfew would be in effect from midnight on Monday until 6 am on Tuesday.

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Later, all government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, private institutions, factories, schools, colleges, madrasas, and universities reopened on Tuesday morning.

Previously, the Ministry of Public Administration had declared a three-day general holiday starting Monday.

The entry passes to the Secretariat were cancelled on Tuesday. Only a small number of police officers were seen on duty at the main gate, accompanied by army personnel.

Army members were also seen on duty alongside police officers at the Home Ministry office.

Meanwhile, banners and festoons related to the mournful month of August were removed, and pictures of Hasina were taken down from government offices.

However, the nameplates of ministers and state ministers remained, the paper added.