Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was given just 45 minutes by the Bangladesh Army to leave the country on Monday, sources revealed. Hasina had sought to broadcast a message to the nation before departing, but the army did not permit this.
Tensions within the Bangladesh Army were reportedly high, with two factions emerging: one supportive of Hasina and another, consisting of junior officers and around 60 retired officers, opposing her.
On Sunday, the Army’s National Security Council met and informed Hasina that they would not intervene to stop the student protests scheduled for Monday. The situation remained calm until around 9 a.m. on Monday, when thousands of students entered Dhaka from the Gazipur border, leading to a rapid escalation in violence.
Sheikh Hasina resigned amid the unrest that had plagued the country in recent weeks. The violence intensified on Sunday, resulting in 97 deaths as protesters stormed both the Prime Minister’s residence and the parliament. In response to the chaos, the army announced that an interim government would take over.
Hasina’s flight has landed at Hindon Airbase near Delhi, where she is currently being housed in a safe location.