Source: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina flees country after deadly protests, ending 15-year rule
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned on Monday, ending 15 years in power as thousands of protesters defied a military curfew and stormed her official residence.
Shortly after local media showed the embattled leader boarding a military helicopter with her sister, Bangladesh’s military chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, announced plans to seek the president’s guidance on forming an interim government.
He promised the military would stand down, and to launch an investigation into deadly crackdowns that fuelled outrage against the government, and asked citizens for time to restore peace.
“Keep faith in the military. We will investigate all the killings and punish the responsible,” he said. “I have ordered that no army and police will indulge in any kind of firing.
“Now, the students’ duty is to stay calm and help us.”
The protests began peacefully as frustrated students demanded an end to a quota system for government jobs, but the demonstrations have since morphed into an unprecedented challenge and uprising against Hasina and her ruling Awami League party.
The government attempted to quell the violence with force, leaving nearly 300 people dead and sparking further outrage and calls for Hasina to step down.
孟加拉国总理谢赫·哈西娜周一辞职，结束了 15 年的执政生涯，数千名抗议者无视军事宵禁，冲进了她的官邸。 在当地媒体报道这位四面楚歌的领导人与她的妹妹登上军用直升机后不久，孟加拉国军事首长瓦克乌兹扎曼将军宣布计划组建临时政府，选举新总统。 他承诺军方将停止行动，并对激起人们对政府愤怒的致命镇压展开调查，并要求公民恢复和平。 他说，“保持对军队的信心。我们将调查所有杀戮事件并惩罚责任人。我已下令，任何军队和警察都不得进行任何形式的射击。 现在，学生们的责任就是保持冷静并帮助我们。” 抗议活动以和平方式开始，沮丧的学生要求结束政府工作配额制度，但示威活动后来演变成针对哈西娜及其执政的人民联盟党前所未有的挑战和起义。 政府试图以武力平息暴力，导致近 300 人死亡，并引发了进一步的愤怒和要求哈西娜下台的呼声。
