Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh have looted and vandalised the official residence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka.
This followed Hasina’s resignation as PM on Monday, after weeks of deadly protests since the birth of the South Asian nation more than five decades ago.
According to BBC, Hasina headed for Tripura, the capital of Agartala in India, after she resigned.
Hasina, 76, and her sister took a military helicopter to India’s eastern state of West Bengal, according to media reports.
The PM was said to have been forced to quit after massive protests against her government over a controversial quota system that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971.
Viral images captured the chaotic scene as protesters paraded through the streets with personal belongings from Hasina’s residence.
Items looted included underwear, kitchen utensils, furniture, livestock, and electronics.
One image showed a man wearing a saree and carrying a plastic bucket filled with clothes, while another showed a young man holding up a purple blouse.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman said he would form an interim government
“I am taking full responsibility,” the general said, dressed in military fatigues and a cap, although it was not immediately clear if he would head a caretaker government.
“We will form an interim government. The country has suffered a lot, the economy has been hit, and many people have been killed — it is time to stop the violence.
“I hope after my speech, the situation will improve,” Waker said in a broadcast to the nation on state television. (Daily Trust)
