The prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has resigned and left the country, the head of the army has confirmed, amid some of the worst violence since the birth of the south Asian nation more than 50 years ago.
In a briefing to reporters, Army Chief Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman announced he was assuming control at what he called “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.”
Hasina, 76, who has ruled Bangladesh since 2009, fled the country by helicopter, a source close to the leader told AFP shortly after protesters had stormed her palace in the capital, Dhaka.
Celebrations erupted among the crowds who had been on the streets of Dhaka for another day of protests.
The internet was cut for several hours overnight and residents told the Guardian of raids and gunshots, even in the most affluent areas, before a planned mass protest called for Monday.
Hasina’s government was accused by rights groups of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including through the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists.
The latest student-led protests began over a quota system they said disproportionately allocated government jobs to the descendants of freedom fighters from the 1971 independence war.
The government’s harsh crackdown on protests has led to hundreds of deaths, which continued despite the supreme court overturning the quota law. Agence France-Presse reported there had been 94 deaths on Sunday.
The protests escalated despite the scheme having been scaled back by Bangladesh’s top court. The anti-government movement had attracted people from across society in the South Asian nation of about 170 million people, including actors, musicians and singers.
During the briefing at army headquarters, Zaman promised an investigation into the deaths.
A curfew was put in place on Monday and offices and factories were closed but protesters have still taken to the streets. Bangladeshi TV channels showed jubilant protesters dancing and chanting at locations across Dhaka.
One protester sent the Guardian a video of a crowd marching and shouting in celebration, some of them waving Bangladeshi flags, near Shahbagh, where protesters had planned to gather.
“I feel out of this world, we’re dancing in the streets now,” she said. “People are celebrating, singing, dancing. I’ve never seen this many tears of joy. People are smiling and crying at the same time.”