Bangladesh PM quits and flees country as 56 more are killed in street violence
The Guardian|August 06, 2024
The prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has resigned and gone abroad, the head of the army has confirmed, amid some of the worst violence since the birth of the country more than 50 years ago.
Redwan Ahmed
Bangladesh PM quits and flees country as 56 more are killed in street violence

There was further violence yesterday with a reported 56 deaths in the capital, Dhaka. There have been further deaths in retribution attacks the Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo reported that four people died when the house of a local politician was burned down in the western city of Jhenaidah.

In a briefing to reporters, the army's chief of staff, Gen Waker-UzZaman, announced he was assuming control at "a critical time for our country" and would establish an interim government.

"I am taking responsibility now and we will go to the president and ask to form an interim government to lead the country in the meantime."

The streets of Dhaka quickly filled with people celebrating Hasina's departure but the jubilant atmosphere grew tense as the day went on with looting and arson attacks on the offices of Hasina's Awami League party and the homes of government ministers, with concerns rising about a lack of police intervention.

A statue of Hasina's father, the founding father of Bangladesh and former president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was attacked and smashed by a mob, according to witnesses, as well as a memorial on the site of his assassination in a coup in 1975.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE GUARDIANView all
First mass 24-hour event to help people put down their phones
The Guardian

First mass 24-hour event to help people put down their phones

Haunted by a pile of unread books? Or taunted by outdoor kit lurking in the cupboard? If you are one of the British adults who spends on average five hours a day looking at screens rather than participating in pastimes, perhaps it's time to join the offline revolution.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 21, 2024
No longer the king of bling The staggering fall of rap star Sean 'Diddy' Combs
The Guardian

No longer the king of bling The staggering fall of rap star Sean 'Diddy' Combs

Brooklyn's grim Metropolitan Detention Center is, for the foreseeable future, home to Puff Daddy, AKA Sean Combs, one of the best-known voices in American entertainment and whose business empire once seemed to know no bounds.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 21, 2024
Brandenburg stakes Last-minute push by German far right in key regional election
The Guardian

Brandenburg stakes Last-minute push by German far right in key regional election

B jörn Höcke shielded his eyes from the lights as he peered from the stage into the crowds gathered on a square in front of a gothic church in central Cottbus.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 21, 2024
'It's guerrilla war' The fire teams facing arson chaos in Amazon
The Guardian

'It's guerrilla war' The fire teams facing arson chaos in Amazon

The occupants of the military tents at this remote jungle camp in Brazil's wild west T survey the hellscape surrounding them.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 21, 2024
"The horror of it' Trial of husband and 50 men accused of wife's rape shakes France
The Guardian

"The horror of it' Trial of husband and 50 men accused of wife's rape shakes France

On the narrow streets of stone houses with pastel-blue shutters, residents of Mazan were appalled that this picturesque village in Provence was being referred to in the media as \"the village of the rapists\".

time-read
4 mins  |
September 21, 2024
West End revival Will a traffic ban lure shoppers back to Oxford Street?
The Guardian

West End revival Will a traffic ban lure shoppers back to Oxford Street?

From the rooftop of John Lewis's flagship store, the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, laid out the changes planned for Oxford Street below: \"We want a public realm that is world class, green, healthy and safe but also increases footfall in the shops.\"

time-read
2 mins  |
September 21, 2024
Live and let fly James Bond chopper firm awaits decision on £1bn deal
The Guardian

Live and let fly James Bond chopper firm awaits decision on £1bn deal

The Merlin helicopter sitting on a factory floor in Yeovil is a sight familiar to James Bond aficionados from the climactic shootout of the 2012 film Skyfall.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 21, 2024
The Guardian

Mental illness is Britons' biggest health concern, survey finds

Mental health has overtaken cancer and obesity as the health issue that is the biggest cause of concern for most Britons, a global survey reveals.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 21, 2024
Noise, crime, crowds Rise in tourism stokes tensions in bustling Lake District town
The Guardian

Noise, crime, crowds Rise in tourism stokes tensions in bustling Lake District town

Even on a weekday afternoon at the very tail end of summer, Bowness-onWindermere is bustling with life. Outside the town's pubs and bars, drinkers sip lager and sparkling wine in the warm September sun.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 21, 2024
EU's new proposals on youth mobility will put Starmer 'reset' to test
The Guardian

EU's new proposals on youth mobility will put Starmer 'reset' to test

Fresh proposals to allow young people to move between Britain and the EU will be presented to the British government within weeks, in what is seen as a significant early test of Labour's \"reset\" in relations with Brussels.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 21, 2024