Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled her palace on Monday, a source told, as masses of protesters demanding her resignation roamed the streets of Dhaka and the army chief was set to address the nation. Bangladesh has been engulfed by protests and violence that began last month after student groups demanded the scrapping of a controversial quota system in government jobs. That 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 today, protesting students in Bangladesh called for a march to Dhaka in defiance of a nationwide curfew, a day after deadly clashes in the country killed nearly 100 people. Jubilant-looking crowds waved flags, peacefully celebrating including some dancing on top of a tank, as a source close to the embattled leader said she had left her palace in the capital for a “safer place”. Hasina’s son urged the country’s security forces to block any takeover from her rule, while a senior advisor told that her resignation was a “possibility” after being questioned as to whether she would quit.

“She wanted to record a speech, but she could not get an opportunity to do that,” the source close to Hasina told. Bangladesh’s army chief Wakeruz Zaman will address the nation on Monday afternoon, a military spokesman told without giving further details. Waker told officers on Saturday that the military “always stood by the people”, according to an official statement. The military declared an emergency in January 2007 after widespread political unrest and installed a military-backed caretaker government for two years. Protesting students in Bangladesh have called for a march to Dhaka in defiance of a nationwide curfew to press Hasina to resign, a day after deadly clashes in the country killed nearly 100 people. Army tanks and police vehicles were on the streets of the capital on Monday, with security forces patrolling on foot, an online news channel showed. There was almost no civilian traffic, barring a few motorcycles and three-wheel taxis.

At least 91 people were killed and hundreds injured on Sunday in a wave of violence across the country of 170 million people as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse tens of thousands of protesters. Starting Sunday evening, a nationwide curfew has been imposed, the railways have suspended services and the country’s huge garments industry has closed. Bangladesh has been engulfed by protests and violence that began last month after student groups demanded the scrapping of a controversial quota system in government jobs. That 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. Sunday’s death toll, which included at least 13 policemen, was the highest for a single day from any protests in Bangladesh’s recent history, surpassing the 67 deaths reported on July 19 when students took to the streets against the quotas.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan