At least 27 killed in Bangladesh clashes, government declares curfew
NBCJul 21
Bangladesh PM Resigns, Flees After Weeks of Deadly Protest
Above: Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh speaks as National Statements are delivered on day two of the COP 26 United Nations Climate Change Conference at SECC on November 01, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. Image copyright: Ian Forsyth/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Following weeks of protest in which over 300 people have died, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and left the country, the nation's Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman confirmed on Monday.
Waker-Uz-Zaman told the media that he would form an interim government to run the country, adding that he had taken "all responsibility" and pledging to "protect your life and property."
The Spin
Narrative A
This is a sad end to Hasina's 15-year grip on power. She led the country through economic growth, so much so that in 2021, Bangladesh's per capita income surpassed India's. Yet her failure to effectively address dissent cost her her long rule.
Narrative B
Hasina's departure is the culmination of an increasingly autocratic rule, which included the jailing and killing of opposition leaders and activists. It was just a matter of time before people stood up against her repressive and corrupt acts and demanded her deposition.