As the protesters and violence escalate in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been said to have deserted her real palace in Dhaka.
A large number of protesters holding flags and people clapping and even dancing on the turret of a captured Russian tank have been seen on the streets, demanding the Prime Minister to step down.
According to a person familiar with the developments around the hard-pressed leader, Hasina has fled her palace to a more secure location as the situation in Bangladesh worsens.
Protests that started earlier this month in reaction to a quota system that has favored the government in employment escalated and morphed into a call for the removal of the Prime Minister, who was re-elected for another term in a January election the opposition did not contest.
The protests have escalated throughout the country and have become quite bloody; over the weekend, at least 91 people were homicide, and hundreds of others were wounded.
Police have retaliated by shooting tear gas and rubber bullets in a bid to maintain order and control the tens of thousands of people turning out for the protests across the 170 million-strong nation.
This statement aligns with the military’s position; General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Bangladesh’s army chief, is reportedly to speak to the country sometime on Monday afternoon.
In his remarks on Saturday, Waker assured the officers that the military “always supported the people,” an outcome of the assessments of the official statement released by Museveni’s government publicists.
Protests and violence have been increasing, and this has destabilized Bangladesh and is increasing the tension between the government and the opposition, which demands the Prime Minister to step down.
The international community is observing this situation, and local and international organizations are calling for a calm and nonviolent solution.
