Bangladesh’s Army Chief Wakeruz Zaman says he will form an interim govt after PM Sheikh Hasina resigned

DHAKA, August 05 (SABAH): Bangladesh’s Army Chief Wakeruz Zaman said on Monday he will form an interim government after Prime

Since late July, Bangladesh has been engulfed by protests and violence that has so far claimed the lives of at least 300 people.

Protesting student groups have demanded the scrapping of a controversial quota system in government jobs, which escalated into a campaign to seek the ouster of Hasina, who won a fourth straight term in January in an election boycotted by the opposition.

Earlier on Monday, students in Bangladesh called for a march to Dhaka in defiance of a nationwide curfew, a day after deadly clashes in the country killed at least 91 people.
“We will form an interim government,” Waker said in a broadcast to the nation on state television, adding Sheikh Hasina had resigned.

“After holding a fruitful discussion with all political parties, we have decided to form an interim government. We will speak with President Mohammed Shahabuddin now to resolve the situation,” Bangladesh’s Dhaka Tribune quoted the army chief as saying.

Media reports said Sheikh Hasine had flown in a military helicopter with her sister and was headed to the eastern Indian state of West Bengal just across the border. Another report said she was headed to India’s northeastern state of Tripura.