President’s meeting with key protest organisers underway at Bangabhaban
President Mohammed Shahabuddin is holding a meeting with representatives of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement at the Bangabhaban.
A group of student leaders in a microbus entered Bangabhaban around 6:00pm, reports our correspondent from the spot. The student leaders are likely to talk about formation of the interim government, sources at Bangabhaban said.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The navy and air force chiefs arrived at the president's residence around 7:30pm.
The country is facing uncertainty after yesterday's resignation and fleeing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the face of a mass uprising against her and her Awami League government. In the rioting and mob violence and rioting that followed, at least 142 people died across the country.
Hasina's resignation came following around three weeks of violence that had its origins in the students' demand for reform to the quota system in public service jobs.
Between July 16 and today, over 400 people (as far as this newspaper could confirm) have been killed in violent clashes.
On July 23, the government through a circular reformed the quota system as per the demand of the students, but by then nearly 200 died in clashes.
The protesters demanded the resignation of Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet on August 3, holding her government responsible for the deaths. The government toppled in the space of three days.
Hasina was serving her fourth straight term in office since assuming power in 2009, and fifth overall.
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