Bangladesh unrest: Hasina has resigned, interim govt is taking over, says Army

The Bangladesh Army chief said he had met political leaders and told them the Army would take over responsibility for law and order

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and an interim government is taking over, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman announced on Monday, reported the PTI.

"I'm taking all responsibility (of the country). Please cooperate," he said in a televised address amid reports that Sheikh Hasina has left the country, as per the PTI.

The Bangladesh Army chief said he had met political leaders and told them the Army would take over responsibility for law and order.

As protests spiralled across the country, he said he had asked both Army and police not to fire any shots.

More than 100 people have been killed in the protests against the Hasina government over the last two days. The country has been witnessing fierce demonstrations over the controversial quota system that reserves 30 per cent of jobs for the families of veterans who fought the 1971 liberation war.

Waqar-uz-Zaman also urged restraint and asked protesters to end the violence.

BSF orders 'high alert' along Bangladesh border; DG, senior officers in Kolkata

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday issued a "high alert" across all its formations along the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border in the wake of the developments in the neighbouring country, officials said, according to the PTI.

BSF director general (acting) Daljit Singh Chawdhary and other senior commanders have landed in Kolkata to review the security situation, they said.

The force has directed all its field commanders to be "on ground" and "deploy all personnel on border duty immediately", a senior officer told PTI.

The leaves of all the personnel posted along the Bangladesh border were cancelled in the last few weeks after Bangladesh witnessed massive protests and now all units have been asked to "acquire an all alert posture", he said.

The BSF guards the Indian front on the eastern flank of the country that runs along five states.

West Bengal shares a total of 2,217 kilometres of border with Bangladesh, along with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km) and Mizoram (318 km).

News reports said, amid massive protests against her government that claimed more than 106 lives in the last two days.

(with PTI inputs)

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