2024-08-06 23:19:52
Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin today ordered the release of former Prime Minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, as well as the demonstrators arrested during the protests. This happened a few hours after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country, France Press reported.
At a meeting chaired by Shahabuddin, “it was unanimously decided to immediately release Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia” as well as “all those arrested during the student protests,” a statement released by the office said. of the head of state.
“At the meeting, it was decided to immediately form an interim government,” the statement added.
The meeting was attended by army chief General Waqer uz Zaman, the heads of the navy and air force and leaders of several opposition parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
In a statement, the army also announced it was lifting the curfew and reopening “offices, factories, schools, universities” and commercial establishments tomorrow at 06:00 local time (00:00 GMT), BTA reported.
Since last month, Sheikh Hasina has faced protests demanding an end to the quota system for civil service appointments, which eventually led to her removal from power.
In power for about 15 years, Hasina fled Bangladesh today, shortly before protesters stormed and ransacked her residence in the capital Dhaka after clashes that killed nearly 100 people across the country.
Her main rival, 78-year-old Khaleda Zia, is in poor health and has been in hospital since she was sentenced to 17 years in prison for corruption in 2018, AFP recalls.