Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned Monday and fled the country after 15 years in power. Bangladeshi army chief Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman made the announcement.
Hasina's decision to resign and leave Bangladesh follows weeks of deadly anti-government protests in which at least 300 people have been killed, including nearly 100 in just the last day.
Last weekend a national curfew was imposed in an attempt to stop the protests.
Gen. Zaman announced that he would work to establish an interim government that would also investigate the violent police activity that led to the death of hundreds of protesters.
It was reported that after the departure of Hasina, the protestors managed to break into the official residence and some of them looted very valuable equipment. In addition, a similar break-in was also reported at the home of the Interior Minister.
The demonstrations began in June by students who demanded changes to the country's job quota system. Protesters began calling for Hasina's resignation after police and military efforts to combat the protests turned violent.
Yesterday the state took down the cellular network in an attempt to achieve information control.
Hasina won her fourth straight election in January of this year.