Bangladesh Protesters Vandalise Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Statue | Watch

Dhaka: As anti-government protests in Bangladesh escalated on Monday, demonstrators vandalized a statue of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Mujibur had successfully led the Bangladeshi independence movement, restoring Bengali sovereignty after more than two centuries since the Battle of Plassey in 1757. For his pivotal role, he is revered as the 'Father of the Nation' in Bangladesh.

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country, several news reports said amid massive protests that claimed more than 106 lives in the last two days. 

BBC reported that Hasina left on a helicopter for Agartala in Tripura. The Associated Press said she has resigned but gave no other details. However, the Ministry of External Affairs or local officials in Agartala refused to confirm the report. 

The private Jamuna television news channel reported that Hasina was forced to quit as prime minister after massive protests against her government over a controversial quota system that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's War of Independence in 1971.

The channel said that Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana left the country in a helicopter. Hours later, hundreds of protesters stormed the prime minister's official residence.

The government earlier ordered a complete internet shutdown as protestors asked the general public to join a "Long March to Dhaka". However, a government agency gave a verbal order to start broadband internet around 1:15 on Monday.

Hasina, the 76-year-old daughter of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had been ruling the strategically located South Asian nation since 2009. She was elected for a record fourth consecutive term and fifth overall term in the 12th general election held in January, amid a boycott by the main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former premier Khaleda Zia and its allies.