Bangladesh's iron lady Sheikh Hasina falls after 15 years in power
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00In Bangladesh, the army chief says the prime minister has resigned.
00:04That comes as anti-government protesters were gearing up for a march on the capital, Dhaka,
00:09this Monday, and one day after the deadliest day of unrest since demonstrations first broke
00:14out last month.
00:15Here's more from the army chief speaking earlier today.
00:21The Honorable Prime Minister has resigned.
00:24Now we will form an interim government and continue our work to lead the country.
00:30The country is witnessing a period of revolution right now.
00:34I had invited all the leaders of political parties.
00:36They came here and we had a good discussion.
00:40We have decided to form an interim government.
00:46On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of protesters and government supporters across Bangladesh
00:50fought each other with sticks and knives as security forces opened fire with rifles.
00:56Nearly 100 people were killed.
00:58Our regional correspondent Navadita Kumari gave us the latest from New Delhi.
01:02Now the army chief, Waqar-Uz-Zaman, has confirmed that she has resigned and that they will bring
01:10peace to the country.
01:11And in the meanwhile, there will be an interim government formed.
01:15The local news also say that Sheikh Hasina might have been brought to India.
01:21And from here, whether she's headed to some other destination, it is unclear for the moment.
01:27So we were waiting for army chief's address since hours now.
01:33So now in a big turn of events, Sheikh Hasina has resigned.
01:38The main demand from the protesters for weeks now.
01:42And today, even if it was relatively calmer, at least six people have been killed.
01:47And Sunday, at least 100 people were killed and 1,000 were injured.
01:53So this comes as, for the last month, protesters have been coming to the street, protesting,
01:59asking for justice and also for their country to return to normalcy.
02:04They say that they have been suffering economic hardship.
02:08The country of 170 people, the youth of the country say that they have been struggling
02:15to find jobs.
02:16And social activists claim that democratic rights of the citizens have been shrunk here.
02:23And there was no free and fair election in January.
02:28And Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been ruling the country since the last 15 years.
02:33And the country, according to the activists and demonstrations, has deteriorated in terms
02:39of democratic rights and economic prosperity.