Prime Minister Hasina fled Bangladesh - Army announces transitional government
"We will form a transitional government," said the army chief in his televised address. To do this, he will speak with the most important opposition parties as well as representatives of civil society - but not with Hasina's party. "The country has suffered greatly, the economy has weakened, many people have been killed - it's time to put an end to the violence," the general added. "I take full responsibility." He hopes that the situation in the country will now calm down.
Previously, government-critical protesters had stormed the government palace in the capital Dhaka. On television, they were seen breaking through the gates, looting furniture and books, or lounging on beds. Meanwhile, people on the streets celebrated, with some dancing on a tank.
Hasina, on the other hand, was taken to a "safe location". "Her security team advised her to leave, she had no time to prepare," AFP learned from her entourage. First, the 76-year-old was evacuated from the palace in a convoy of vehicles and later flown out of her 170 million-strong country by helicopter.
The escape occurred a day after Sunday, when hundreds of thousands of government opponents and supporters took to the streets and attacked each other with knives, sticks, and clubs. Security forces also shot into the crowd. According to AFP figures, 94 people were killed. This was the highest number of victims in a day since the protests against the government began in July, with a total of at least 300 people killed.
Originally, the protesters went onto the streets against a quota system for job allocation in the public service, which they claimed favored Hasina's supporters. Over time, the demand for the resignation of the prime minister who had been in office since 2009 became the goal of the protest movement, with more and more people from all walks of life joining in. Film stars, well-known musicians, and former generals expressed their support, as did companies in the textile industry, which is important for the country's economy.
However, the forced escape of the prime minister by the protesters could leave a "big vacuum," according to South Asia expert Michael Kugelman. If there is a peaceful transition with a transitional government acting until elections are held, "then the stability risks would be low," said the director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington. "But if there is a violent transition or a period of uncertainty, that could lead to further destabilization and problems both internally and externally."
The German government also expressed concern. "It is important that Bangladesh continues on its democratic path," said a spokesman for the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. "We now urgently advise against travel to Bangladesh."
Hasina was re-elected in January in an election boycotted by a large part of the opposition. Her government was accused, among other things, of abusing state institutions for its own power retention and suppressing government critics - even to the extent of extrajudicial killings of opposition members.
Given the tense situation, Hasina's son had previously called on the country's security forces to prevent any coup attempt against his mother. "Your duty is to ensure the security of our people and our country and to uphold the constitution," Sajeeb Wazed Joy explained on the online network Facebook.
The army now has the upper hand in Bangladesh. In 2007, following political unrest, the military had declared a state of emergency and installed a transitional government backed by it for two years. Hasina then came to power in 2009.
The army chief, in an effort to bring peace, has agreed to speak with opposition parties and civil society representatives about forming a transitional government, but not with Hasina's party. Despite the violence, Hasina was forced to flee the country by helicopter after protesters stormed the government palace.
