SECOND EDITION

DHA K A T UES DAY AUGUS T 6, 2024

Regd. No. DA 781 Vol. XXXIV No. 194 Sraban 22, 1431 BS Muharram 30, 1446 Hijri 12 Pages Plus Life Style : Tk 15.00

Hasina falls, flees

Army chief meets politicians, civil society members to discuss formation of interim govt
Justice will
be served
Says president
about recent
killings

BSS, Dhaka

President Mohammed
Shahabuddin yesterday
urged political parties
to restore law and order
and stop looting and
destructive activities.
“I ask the armed forces
to take strict action to
protect the lives and
properties of the people,”
the president, also the
supreme commander of
the Armed Forces Division,
told a televised address to
the nation.
The Head of State urged
SEE PAGE 2 COL 4

Hundreds of jubilant people at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex soon after Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country yesterday afternoon. PHOTO: NAIMUR RAHMAN
Help restore
TANIM AHMED and
PARTHA PRATIM BHATTACHARJEE
A fledgling student protest against reserved
quotas for government jobs that began on July
outside the capital and marching towards it,
braving all obstacles. The strong tide turned on
chaired a high-level meeting with key ministers
and intelligence chiefs who briefed him about the
peace and
Bangladesh’s iron lady of 15 years bowed out to a
1 started to gain momentum as the government
dealt with them harshly. Despite reassurances
the back of university students.
About 43 years after Hasina had flown into
unfolding situation in Bangladesh, according to
reports in Indian media. discipline
people’s uprising yesterday. Serving as the prime of no harassment, the AL government employed Dhaka as the newly elected AL president for the Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the former
minister since 2009, Sheikh Hasina was forced Army chief urges
excessive force to subdue a campaign leading to first time, she took off on a military helicopter PM’s ICT affairs adviser, told BBC that his mother
to resign and flee the country as hundreds of over 300 deaths. That protest transformed into with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana to India. would not “come back” to politics. the nation
thousands marched towards Dhaka defying a Back in Dhaka, before he took the podium
curfew amid a continual morning drizzle. at the army headquarters to address the nation,
The streets of the capital that had convulsed flanked by the air chief and naval chief, General
with violence and death over the last three weeks, Parliament to be dissolved soon, an interim govt to be formed Waker-Uz-Zaman met with several politicians
reverberated with wild celebrations as soon as and members of the civil society including
the Bangladesh army chief, General Waker-Uz- President asked armed forces to be strict in protecting lives, properties representatives of BNP, Jatiya Party, Jamaat-e-
Zaman, confirmed the rumours of Hasina’s Islami, other politicians and teachers. The AL was
resignation. He went on to say that a new interim Outline of interim govt within 24 hours: protest organiser Nahid Islam not represented. The student campaigners were
government will be formed soon. not present there either. Leaders of the student
Millions took to the streets gridlocking the President orders release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia protest campaign have announced that they will
entire capital well into the evening while many present an outline for the interim government
found it hard to believe that Hasina’s absolute Offices, factories to open today, educational institution soon soon.
hold on authority and Awami League’s fabled In the context of hundreds of violent deaths, STAFF CORRESPONDENT
political fortress could crumble, faced with a the army chief reassured everyone that justice
three-week campaign initiated by students. a strong anti-government campaign over the The five-time prime minister landed in would be ensured for each. He said it was now Chief of Army Staff General
Revellers stormed the prime minister’s last week and culminated in a people’s uprising Agartala, the capital of India’s northeastern everyone’s responsibility to remain calm. Waker-Uz-Zaman yesterday
residence, office and the parliament. They also yesterday as the student campaigners called for state of Tripura. Thereafter, the 77-year-old “Together, we hope to go towards a better urged all, including the
ransacked Awami League offices and residences their compatriots to “march to Dhaka”. This was premier was flown to Hindon Air Force Base in situation,” he said addressing the media. “I am students, to cooperate
of high-ranking ministers across the country. particularly in reply to AL’s show of political force Ghaziabad, about 30km from the Indian capital taking full responsibility.” with the armed forces and
Even while thousands converged on Shahbagh on Sunday, which left at least 93 dead in a single of New Delhi, according to Indian news outlets “The country has suffered a lot, the economy refrain from vandalism,
from early afternoon, there were reports of day’s violence. Another 66 were killed yesterday India Today and NDTV. has been hit, many people have been killed. It is killings and clashes.
violence between demonstrators and police in Dhaka alone. Hasina was reported to have met with the time to stop the violence.” Seeking cooperation
officials on the fringes of Dhaka and from around Droves of people began gathering in Indian national security adviser, Ajit Doval, in On his way to the presidential palace, from all quarters, including
Bangladesh amid the vacuum that was left in neighbourhoods of Dhaka and its outskirts ready the evening at Hindon. It is widely reported that Bangabhaban, the army chief was greeted by the political parties, the
the wake of Hasina’s hasty departure without so to converge in the capital’s Shahbagh from early Hasina will seek asylum in London. Later in the jubilant crowd. Hundreds thronged around media and civil society
much as a statement or press release. morning. There were also thousands gathering evening Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi SEE PAGE 2 COL 2 SEE PAGE 2 COL 1

Jubilation Hindu houses,

businesses
as freedom attacked in
in the air 27 districts
STAR REPORT
STAR REPORT
Hindu houses and business
Hundreds of thousands of jubilant people poured out into the streets establishments were attacked by mobs
of the capital, celebrating Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and departure. while their valuables were also looted in
The crowds chanted slogans and waved the national flag as complete at least 27 districts yesterday.
strangers shook hands and hugged each other. In Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, they
Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Mirpur Road and Rokeya Sarani were filled vandalised and plundered the house
with people of all ages. Large groups of people walked through Kazi of Pradip Chandra Roy, secretary of
Nazrul Islam Avenue from 2:30pm to 7:00pm. Many said they would go Lalmonirhat Puja Udjapan Parishad, in
to the Gono Bhaban. Telipara village last evening, reports our
Coordinators of the quota-reform movement, which spearheaded district correspondent.
the movement that led to the fall of the government, Nahid Islam and They also ransacked and looted a
Asif Mahmud said in a joint statement, “Power must be transferred computer shop owned by Muhin Roy, a
to the proposed interim national government of the students. No municipality member of the district’s
other government will be accepted. A new Bangladesh and political Puja Udjapan Parishad, on Thana road.
settlement will be established. No one will leave the streets until the Besides, homes of four Hindu
ultimate victory is achieved. families were vandalised and looted
Dhaka University student Rafat Alam said, “I have goosebumps. We in Chandrapur village in the district’s
waited for this day for a long time. I was not able to talk freely, I was not Kaliganj upazila.
allowed to cast the vote.” In Hatibandha upazila’s Purbo Sardubi
Hasina had been the prime minister for 14 and a half years. In the village, 12 Hindu houses were torched last
2008 national election, her party, the Awami League, won two-thirds of night, reports our district correspondent.
the seats in parliament. In Panchagarh, several Hindu houses
She took power again in 2014, when 153 MPs, out of 300, were were vandalised and looted in Sadar
“elected” without any competition. The election was boycotted by the upazila.
main opposition. The organisers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement pose for a photo during a live television Contacted, Monindra Kumar Nath,
SEE PAGE 2 COL 2 programme yesterday. PHOTO: COLLECTED SEE PAGE 2 COL 4