Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, August 5 resigned and fled the country amid ongoing violent protests.

Hasina, who has ruled the country for 15 years, and her sister boarded a military helicopter to India after protesters ignored a national curfew to storm the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka.

According to the country’s leading newspaper, the former prime minister is taking “safe shelter” in India.

“She wanted to record a speech. But she could not get an opportunity to do that,” a source told AFP.

Tension had remained high after Sunday’s violent protests in the capital left at least 95, including at least 14 police officers, dead, while hundreds injured.

On Monday, at least six people were reportedly killed in clashes between police and protesters. This takes the total number of deaths since the protests began last month to at least 300, the AFP reports, quoting its tally based on police, government officials and doctors at hospitals. 

Internet connectivity across major cities in the country has also been restricted, offices remain closed, train services suspended and vital garment industry that includes around 3,500 factories shut down.

What’s the genesis of the protests?

Since the 1971 Liberation War (also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence), Bangladesh has reserved a 30% quota in civil service and public sector (government) jobs to the descendants of freedom fighters who participated in the movement to free the country from Pakistan.

Coincidentally, the quota system was introduced by then-Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of Hasina, in 1972.

But in October 2018, Hasina abolished the quota system amid protests by students.

However, the High Court — in June this year — nullified Hasina’s decision and reinstated the quota system. The court was acting on a petition filed by relatives of the 1971 freedom fighters.

The demonstrations began with students seeking to end a quota system.