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Louise Thomas
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Hundreds of protesters in Bangladesh ransacked Sheikh Hasina’s official residence in capital Dhaka on Monday and made off with some of her belongings, including clothes, luggage, paintings, and furniture.
One notable image showed a man walking away with a giant fish, while another featured someone wearing a saree believed to belong to the former prime minister. Rabbits, lavish paintings, and fans were some of the other household items looted after the long-serving prime minister was forced to flee the country.
Ms Hasina resigned from her post on Monday and fled Bangladesh after weeks of violent clashes between police and protesters left nearly 400 people dead.
Minutes after her military aircraft left Dhaka at 2.30pm local time, a crowd of thousands broke into her residence, known as the Ganabhaban, ransacking the palatial house and vandalising the premises.
Television footage showed jubilant protesters waving at cameras, taking selfies on her bed, and rummaging through her kitchen and wardrobe.
Social media platforms quickly filled with scenes of chaos as people celebrated amid the destruction. Some enjoyed impromptu feasts, while others flaunted their looted items.
Some of the protesters left carrying chairs, while others moving her sofa and a mattress outside to sit in the garden.
Several people were seen walking outside with a TV, and a video showed others using her elliptical training machine outside her residence while chanting slogans.
While everybody else focused on bigger items, a man was seen walking out with a giant fish in his hands, marking one of the most shared moments from the protests.
Several others stole goats, chickens and rabbits from the residence.
One protester was seen wearing what is presumed to be Ms Hasina’s saree while he held a bucket full of other clothes.
The protesters set houses on fire and statues were destroyed. Thousands of student protesters, have been demonstrating against the Hasina government for weeks, defying a curfew.
Some people were seen climbing a large statue of independence leader and Ms Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and chipping away at the head with an axe.
The mobs also attacked the homes of Ms Hasina’s close allies, witnesses told news agency AFP.
Protests in Bangladesh that began as student-led demonstrations against government hiring rules in July culminated on Monday in the prime minister fleeing and the military announcing it would form an interim government.
At least 400 people were killed in more than a month of deadly protests that ended the 15-year governance of the 76-year-old prime minister.
She has ruled for 20 of the last 30 years as leader of the political movement inherited from her father. He was assassinated with most of his family in a 1975 coup.
The protests escalated despite the scheme being scaled back by Bangladesh’s top court.
Ms Hasina’s decision also left Bangladesh in a political turmoil. Army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman said in an address to the nation that they were in talks to form an interim government.
He said he had held talks with leaders of major political parties – excluding Hasina’s long-ruling Awami League – and would soon meet president Mohammed Shahabuddin to discuss the way ahead. “The country is going through a revolutionary period,” said General Zaman, who took over as army chief in June.
“I request you all to be a little patient, give us some time and together we will be able to solve all the problems,” Mr Zaman added. “Please don’t go back to the path of violence and please return to non-violent and peaceful ways.”
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