Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has resigned and fled to India following weeks of deadly protests in the South Asian country.
The army and officials from the Bangladesh High Commission confirmed Hasina’s resignation on Monday (today, August 5) in Delhi.
According to the country’s leading national newspaper, she and her sister traveled to India using a military helicopter.
Reuters reports that they are seeking “safe shelter” away from her official residence.
Ms. Hasina has been leading Bangladesh since 2009.
The protests, which began peacefully in early July, were initiated by university students demanding the abolition of civil service job quotas, one-third of which are reserved for relatives of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 war for independence from Pakistan.
The protesters argued that the quota system was discriminatory and called for its overhaul.
Although their initial demands were largely met, the protests have since evolved into a broader anti-government movement.
Despite the unrest, Hasina remained defiant, labeling the demonstrators as “terrorists who are out to destabilize the nation.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations has condemned the “shocking violence” and called for restraint from both Bangladeshi politicians and security forces.
Since the demonstrations began, around 300 people have died, with at least 94 fatalities recorded on Sunday alone, including 13 police officers.
This marks the highest single-day casualty toll from any protests in Bangladesh’s recent history.
