Our Planet Climate and Geopolitics
Sheikh Hasina’s uninterrupted 15 years in power in Bangladesh came to an abrupt end on Monday. Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s assassinated founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, resigned and reportedly fled to India by military helicopter after protesters stormed her private residence; one man was filmed balancing a red velvet chair on his head as her possessions were carried away. The unrest started last month as students protested against government job quotas; it quickly expanded into a broader uprising as the government responded by sending in armed troops, imposing a curfew and shutting down internet services. At least 300 people have been killed. Bangladesh’s army chief said yesterday that he was in talks with political parties (except Hasina’s Awami League) to form an interim government. It is unclear who could take her place.
