Bangladesh unrest: Protesters storm PM Hasina’s palace
Bangladesh protests live updates
Local media showed hundreds of protestors storming the PM’s palace.
Hasina, the leader who has been in power since 2009, had ignored the demands for her resignation for weeks.However, she was forced to flee following a violent day of unrest on Sunday, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 100 people.
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According to a source close to the 76-year-old leader, Hasina initially left her palace in Dhaka by motorcade after protesters had stormed the building. The source, who spoke to AFP, added, “She was later evacuated on a helicopter,” without specifying her destination.
The deadliest day of the unrest saw at least 94 people killed, including 14 police officers. Protesters and government supporters engaged in violent clashes across the country, using sticks and knives, while security forces resorted to opening fire. The total number of people killed since the protests began in early July has reached at least 300, according to an AFP tally based on information from police, government officials, and hospital doctors.
On Saturday, Waker addressed officers, stating that the military “always stood by the people,” as per an official statement. This is not the first time the military has intervened during political unrest in the country. In January 2007, the military declared an emergency and installed a military-backed caretaker government, which remained in power for two years.
