Bangladesh's Leader Resigns and Flees Country After Protests

Army Chief Says Interim Government Will Be Formed

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and fled the country after days of protests over her government's handling of the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's army chief, General Aziz Ahmed, said an interim government would be formed as soon as possible.

Protests and Unrest

The protests began last week when thousands of people took to the streets of Dhaka, the capital, to demand Hasina's resignation. The protests quickly spread to other cities, and they turned violent in some areas. On Friday, a prison was attacked and several inmates escaped.

The government responded to the protests with a heavy-handed crackdown. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters, and several people were killed. The government also imposed a curfew in an attempt to quell the unrest.

Hasina's Resignation

On Monday, Hasina announced her resignation in a televised address to the nation. She said she was stepping down to "avoid further bloodshed." She also said that she hoped her resignation would help to restore peace and stability to Bangladesh.

Hasina has been the prime minister of Bangladesh since 2009. She is a member of the Awami League, which has ruled Bangladesh for most of its history.

Interim Government

General Ahmed said that an interim government would be formed "as soon as possible." He said that the government would be made up of представителей from different political parties and civil society groups.

The interim government will be responsible for overseeing the transition to new elections. A date for the elections has not yet been set.