Who is Sheikh Hasina, Bangladeshi leader who fled protests?

Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was known as the “Father of the Nation” and led Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971, becoming the country’s first president. Rahman and some family members were assassinated during a military coup in 1975.

Deadly clashes between protesters and security forces have swept the nation over the past month, with hundreds killed. The protests began with students taking to the streets to oppose a government policy that reserves a portion of government jobs for families of those who fought in the country’s 1971 war of independence. The 30 percent job quota for “freedom fighters” and their relatives existed until 2018, when it was canceled by the Hasina government in the face of violent protests. In June, a Bangladeshi court reinstated the policy at Hasina’s urging.

Government positions in Bangladesh are highly coveted, viewed by many young job seekers as a path to a secure future. While the recent protests started peacefully, demonstrators were met with “unlawful, and sometimes lethal, force,” according to Amnesty International, an accusation that Hasina and other government officials have denied. The protests evolved into a broad-based opposition movement against Hasina, who has become increasingly authoritarian, according to rights groups and security analysts.

Over the weekend, fresh violence erupted between security forces and protesters, killing at least 57 people, according to a Washington Post tally of reports from hospitals and police. Local media placed the toll even higher, at almost 100. The unrest prompted the government to impose an indefinite nationwide curfew starting at 6 p.m. Sunday, but protesters defied the order.

Hasina showed little indication of backing down, saying the protesters were “not students, but terrorists.” On Monday, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in major cities, blaring horns and setting fire to vehicles and buildings, The Post reported.

On Monday, Hasina escaped her official residence in the capital, Dhaka, just minutes before it was stormed by protesters. She fled to India by helicopter, accompanied by younger sister Sheikh Rehana, according to local media.

Once inside Hasina’s residence, protesters looted furniture, artifacts and stationery. Many rejoiced at news of her resignation. “I am going to celebrate this victory for a long, long time,” one student told The Post.

An interim government will be formed in the coming days, said the army chief, Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman.

In remarks on Monday, he called for an end to the unrest and promised a full investigation into the fatal protests.

“Every single death will be investigated; every atrocity will be discussed,” he said.

It is unclear who will lead the country, but student protesters say they want a hand in shaping a new government and are calling for elections.

Protest leaders say they intend to form their own government and will reject martial law.

from washingpost ,Anant Gupta, Azad Majumder, Karishma Mehrotra and Rebecca Tan contributed to this report.