Bangladesh Army Chief Waqar-uz-Zaman on Monday told protesters to stop violence and their demands would be met. He said he would form an interim government after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the capital amid massive protests.
“We will form an interim government,” Vakar said in a broadcast to the nation on state television. He assured protesters that their demands would be met.
“The country has suffered a lot, the economy has been damaged, many people have died – now is the time to stop the violence,” he said.
“I hope the situation will improve after my speech.”
Wacker, a career infantry officer who has spent nearly four decades in the Army, was appointed as the Army’s top post as Chief of Staff (CJ) earlier this year.
He said “if the situation gets better, there is no need for a state of emergency”, and vowed that the new authorities would “prosecute all murders” following weeks of deadly protests.
“Now it’s the students’ job to stay calm and help us,” he said.
Ms Hasina, who has ruled Bangladesh since 2009, had ignored weeks of demands but was forced to step down after Sunday’s brutal violence left nearly 100 people dead.
Protests broke out against the reintroduction of the quota scheme, which reserved more than half of all government jobs for certain groups.
The protests grew even after Bangladesh’s top court put the plan on hold.
In a huge symbolic rebuke to Ms. Hasina, a former army chief demanded the government “immediately” withdraw troops and allow protests to take place.
The anti-government movement has attracted people from all sections of society in the South Asian country of about 170 million, including movie stars, musicians and singers.
According to reports, the 76-year-old prime minister fled the country by helicopter shortly after protesters attacked her palace in Dhaka. Several reports say she is headed to an undisclosed location in India.
Bangladesh’s Channel 24 broadcast images of crowds running through the campus and celebrating and waving at the camera.
Others vandalised statues of Hasina’s father and the country’s independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahma.
Ms Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in January after voting against no real opposition.
(With AFP inputs)
