Bangladesh’s army chief General Wakiruzzaman announced the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed after mass protests and urged citizens to “trust the army”. He said in a televised speech that he would discuss the formation of a new interim government with the country’s president.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left the capital Dhaka for India by military helicopter as the country witnessed mass protests demanding her resignation, a source close to her told AFP on Monday.

“She and her sister” left the prime minister’s official residence in the capital “to a safer place”, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.