Protesters ransack chief justice's residence in Dhaka, loot valuables, cars

CJ Obaidul Hassan had departed the premises just moments before the attack, narrowly avoiding harm

DHAKA:

In the wake of Prime Minister Hasina Wajid's resignation amid nationwide protests, a group of demonstrators attacked the official residence of Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan in Dhaka.

The protesters, who had been demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Wajid, vandalised the property, smashed furniture and looted valuables, including cars.

Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan had departed the premises just moments before the attack, narrowly avoiding harm. However, the security guards stationed at the residence were unable to prevent the protesters from entering.

It is pertinent to mentioned here that Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid has stepped down from the post in the face of mass protests demanding her resignation.

Earlier reports had said that the prime minister had left the capital Dhaka, a source close to the embattled leader said.

"She and her sister have left Ganabhaban (the premier's official residence) for a safer place," the source told AFP. "She wanted to record a speech. But she could not get an opportunity to do that."

Rallies against civil service job quotas sparked days of mayhem in July that killed more than 200 people in some of the worst unrest of Hasina's 15-year tenure.

The development was followed by Bangladesh's army chief Waqar-uz-Zaman address the nation during which he announced that the deaths during the anti-government protest would be investigated.

The army chief added that an interim government would be formed in the country and that talks in this regard were under way.