US commends Bangladesh army for ‘restraint’ after PM Sheikh Hasina flees

6/8/2024 6:20

        The United States government commended Bangladesh's army for its "restraint" on Monday and urged that formation of an interim government in the South Asia nation be democratic after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country.
        
        Hasina's exit came after hundreds of people were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations that began as protests against preferential job quotas and swelled into a movement demanding her downfall.
        
        General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Bangladesh's army chief, announced Hasina's resignation in a televised address and said an interim government would be formed.
        "The United States has long called for respecting democratic rights in Bangladesh, and we urge that the interim government formation be democratic and inclusive. We commend the Army for the restraint they have showed today," a White House spokesperson said on Monday.
        
        The White House and the State Department separately urged parties to refrain from violence and restore peace at the earliest. A State Department spokesperson said Washington welcomed the announcement that an interim government will be formed.