Bangladesh Unrest: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Resigns and Flees to India
Amid severe unrest in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India. The unrest, which began as student protests against a government job quota system, escalated into widespread violence, resulting in at least 135 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Violence and Casualties
On Monday, clashes between demonstrators and members of the Awami League led to at least 96 deaths due to police firings. Additional violence in the Savar and Dhamrai regions resulted in 18 more deaths. Hospitals in Dhaka reported treating 500 injured individuals, with 70 admitted for serious injuries, including gunshot wounds.
Sheikh Hasina’s Resignation
Following the mounting protests, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left Bangladesh, arriving at Hindon Air Base near New Delhi in a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft. Her departure led to celebrations and further unrest, with people entering and looting public buildings, including the Prime Minister’s residence and the Parliament.
All-Party Meeting in New Delhi
In response to the situation, the Indian government has convened an all-party meeting in New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will brief the attendees on the developments in Bangladesh.
Doubts Revealed
Bangladesh -: Bangladesh is a country located to the east of India. It is known for its rich culture and history.
Unrest -: Unrest means a situation where many people are angry and upset, often leading to protests and sometimes violence.
Prime Minister -: A Prime Minister is the head of the government in some countries, like Bangladesh. They make important decisions for the country.
Sheikh Hasina -: Sheikh Hasina is a political leader who was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been in politics for many years.
Resigns -: Resigns means to officially leave a job or position. In this case, Sheikh Hasina decided to stop being the Prime Minister.
Flees -: Flees means to run away from a place because it is dangerous. Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh to go to India because of the unrest.
Student protests -: Student protests are when students gather to show they are unhappy about something. In Bangladesh, they were unhappy about a job quota system.
Government job quota system -: A government job quota system reserves a certain number of jobs for specific groups of people. Some students in Bangladesh did not like this system.
Violence -: Violence means actions that hurt people or damage things. The unrest in Bangladesh turned violent, causing many injuries and deaths.
External Affairs Minister -: The External Affairs Minister is a person in the government who deals with other countries. In India, this person is S Jaishankar.
S Jaishankar -: S Jaishankar is the External Affairs Minister of India. He helps manage India’s relationships with other countries.
All-party meeting -: An all-party meeting is when leaders from different political parties come together to discuss important issues.
New Delhi -: New Delhi is the capital city of India. It is where many important government buildings are located.
Protesters -: Protesters are people who gather to show they are unhappy about something. In Bangladesh, they were unhappy with the government.
Public buildings -: Public buildings are buildings that belong to the government and are used by the public, like schools, hospitals, and the Parliament.
Parliament -: Parliament is a place where government leaders meet to make laws and discuss important issues. In Bangladesh, protesters took over this building.