Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Resignation a "Possibility" Amid Escalating Protests in Bangladesh

AFP | Bangladesh

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com   

The resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now considered a "possibility" according to a senior advisor to the embattled leader, speaking on condition of anonymity. This statement, made to AFP on Monday, comes amid intensifying anti-government protests demanding her ouster.

"The situation is such that this is a possibility, but I don't know how it will happen," the advisor said.

In a related development, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the Prime Minister's son, has urged Bangladesh's security forces to prevent any takeover from her rule. Speaking from the United States, Joy addressed the country's security forces in a Facebook post: "Your duty is to keep our people safe and our country safe and to uphold the constitution. It means don't allow any unelected government to come in power for one minute, it is your duty."

Internet Access Restricted Amid Unrest
As protests continue to escalate, internet access across Bangladesh was widely restricted on Monday, according to service providers and monitoring groups. NetBlocks, an internet outage monitor, reported "high impact to mobile networks," while an internet gateway company that supplies wholesale bandwidth confirmed that "broadband and mobile internet were shut down."

Army Chief to Address the Nation
In a significant move, Bangladesh's army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman is scheduled to address the nation at 2:00 pm (0800 GMT) on Monday. This announcement follows more than a month of deadly protests, which have increasingly called for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation. Rashedul Alam, an official spokesman for the Inter Service Public Relations, confirmed the address.

Rising Death Toll from Protests
The death toll from clashes in Bangladesh has now risen to at least 300, following the deadliest day in weeks of anti-government demonstrations. On Sunday alone, 94 people lost their lives, as per an AFP tally based on reports from police, officials, and hospital doctors.

Protests are set to continue on Monday, with heavy deployments of soldiers and police patrolling key roads in the capital, Dhaka. Security forces have barricaded routes leading to the Prime Minister's office in anticipation of further unrest.