The United States has said it’s monitoring the Bangladesh situation where the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule ended Monday, fled more than a month of deadly protests and the announcement of the military to form an interim government.
The State Department Spokesman who disclosed this at the Press Briefing on Monday said the United States stands with the people of Bangladesh and urged all parties to refrain from further violence.
According to him, “Turning to Bangladesh, we have seen the announcement that Prime Minister Hasina resigned from her position and departed Bangladesh. We are monitoring the situation carefully.
“The United States stands with the people of Bangladesh. We urge all parties to refrain from further violence.
“Too many lives have been lost over the course of the past several weeks, and we urge calm and restraint in the days ahead. We welcome the announcement of interim government, urge transition be conducted in accordance with Bangladesh’s laws”.
State Department Spokesman further said the United States is deeply saddened about reports of human rights abuses, casualties, and injuries over the weekend and past weeks. “We share our deepest condolences with those who lost loved ones and those who are suffering”.
AFP report has it that Bangladesh’s PM, Hasina had sought to quell the nationwide protests against her government since early July but she fled the country after brutal unrest on Sunday in which nearly 100 people were killed.
“We want a corruption-free Bangladesh, where everyone would have the right to express their opinion,” said Monirul Islam, a 27-year-old man among hundreds of thousands celebrating in the streets in the capital Dhaka.
Bangladesh’s army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said in a broadcast to the nation on state television that Hasina had resigned and the military would form a caretaker government.
“The country has suffered a lot, the economy has been hit, many people have been killed — it is time to stop the violence,” said Waker, shortly after jubilant crowds stormed and looted Hasina’s official residence.
At least 66 people were killed Monday, police said, saying gangs had launched revenge attacks on Hasina’s allies. Many were shot.
Millions of Bangladeshis took to the streets across the South Asian country. Jubilant crowds waved flags, some dancing on top of a tank, before thousands broke through the gates of Hasina’s residence. Others later stormed parliament.
Bangladesh’s Channel 24 broadcast images of crowds running into the prime minister’s compound, grinning and waving to the camera, looting furniture and books, or relaxing on beds.
