How Bangladesh student protests ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Protests in Bangladesh that began as studentled demonstrations against government hiring rules in July culminated Monday in the prime minister fleeing and the military announcing it would form an interim governmentAt least 300 people were killed in more than a month of deadly protests that ended the autocratic rule of 76yearold Prime Minister Sheikh HasinaHere are five key dates explaining how the protests toppled the government in the South Asian nation of about 170 million people July 1 Blockades begin University students build barricades blocking roads and railway lines to demand reforms of a quota system for soughtafter public sector jobsThey say the scheme is used to stack the civil service with loyalists of Hasinas ruling Awami LeagueHasina who won a fifth term as prime minister in January after a vote without genuine opposition says the students are wasting their time July 16 Violence intensifies Six people are killed in clashes the first recorded deaths in the protests a day after bitter violence when protesters and progovernment supporters fought in Dhaka with sticks and hurled bricks at each otherHasinas government orders the nationwide closure of schools and universities July 18 PM rebuffed Students reject an olive branch from Hasina a day after she appeals for calm and vows that every murder in the protests would be punishedProtesters chant down with the dictator and torch the headquarters of state broadcaster Bangladesh Television and dozens of other government buildingsThe government imposes an internet blackoutAt least 32 people are killed and hundreds are wounded in clashes which continue in the following days despite a roundtheclock curfew and the deployment of soldiers July 21 Supreme Court verdict Bangladeshs Supreme Court seen by critics as a rubber stamp for the will of Hasinas government rules the decision to reintroduce job quotas was illegalBut its verdict falls short of protesters demands to entirely abolish reserved jobs for children of freedom fighters from Bangladeshs 1971 independence war against Pakistan August 5 Hasina flees Hasina flees Dhaka by helicopter as thousands of protesters storm her palace with millions on the streets celebrating some dancing on the roof of armoured cars and tanksHer dramatic departure comes a day after the deadliest day of protests in which at least 94 people were killed countrywide many in battles with her supportersIn several cases soldiers and police did not intervene to stem the protests unlike during the past month of ralliesBangladeshs army chief General WakerUzZaman says in a broadcast to the nation on state television Hasina had resigned and the military would form an interim governmentAlso read Delhi Police say security beefed up at Bangladesh High CommissionThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever