00:00In Bangladesh, Sheikh Haseena resigned as Prime Minister and fled the country after
00:04weeks of deadly protests.
00:06Hundreds were killed in the unrest, making it the worst political crisis in her 15-year
00:10rule.
00:11As tens of thousands surrounded government buildings in Dhaka on Monday, Sheikh Haseena
00:15escaped to India in an army helicopter with her sister.
00:18Bangladesh Army Chief General Vakharu Zaman announced an interim government but provided
00:22no details.
00:23Let's look at some of the world's reactions to the political crisis in Bangladesh.
00:27Qari Rahman, the acting chairman of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party who
00:31lives in exile in the United Kingdom, commented on X that Haseena's resignation proves the
00:36power of the people.
00:37Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed solidarity, hoping for a peaceful return to
00:41normalcy and praising the resilience of the Bengali people.
00:44India, while not officially commenting on Haseena's resignation, issued a high alert
00:48along its 4,096-kilometer or 2,545-mile border with Bangladesh.
00:55Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was reported to have close ties with the Haseena-led
00:59Awami League government.
01:00Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Ali Sabri expressed hopes for peace and stability in Bangladesh.
01:05The United States commended Bangladesh's army for its restraint and called all sides to
01:09refrain from further violence.
01:11Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasized the need for calm, noting that
01:15too many lives have been lost over the past several weeks.
01:26The United States stands with the people of Bangladesh.
01:29We urge all parties to refrain from further violence.
01:32Too many lives have been lost over the course of the past several weeks, and we urge calm
01:37and restraint in the days ahead.
01:40We welcome the announcement of an interim government and urge any transition be conducted
01:43in accordance with Bangladesh's laws.
01:46Finally, we are deeply saddened about the reports of human rights abuses, casualties
01:51and injuries over the weekend and past weeks.
01:54We share our deepest condolences with those who lost loved ones and those who are suffering.
01:58Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope for a speedy return to constitutional
02:02norms, viewing Bangladesh as a friendly country.
02:05In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Kiros Tremer's spokesperson condemned the violence
02:09and significant loss of life, calling it completely unacceptable.
02:12He emphasized the right to peaceful protests and urged the release of all peaceful protesters.
02:17Foreign Secretary David Lammie called for a full and independent UN-led investigation
02:21into the events of the past few weeks.
02:23Lammie's Federal Foreign Office stressed the importance of Bangladesh continuing on
02:26its democratic path amid the unrest.
02:29The European Union called for an orderly and peaceful transition to democratic rule in Bangladesh.
02:34Foreign Policy Chief Joseph Perel emphasized the need for calm and the protection of human
02:38rights during this period.
02:39UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored the need for a peaceful, orderly and democratic
02:44transition with his spokesman, highlighting the importance of a full, independent, impartial
02:48and transparent investigation into all acts of violence.
02:51We're watching the situation in the country very closely.
02:54We continue to call for calm and restraint and to urge all parties to respect the right
02:59to peaceful assembly and expression.
03:01We urge security forces to protect those out on the streets of Dhaka and other cities of
03:05Bangladesh.
03:07You'll have seen that the High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk issued a statement
03:11yesterday in which he called for violence in the country to stop.
03:15He added that accountability for human rights violations, including those for those with
03:20superior and command responsibility, is crucial.
03:23The international community must make it clear that at this pivotal time, there will be no
03:28impunity.
03:29Amnesty International South Asia researcher Akbar Hoda pointed out that much of the violence
03:34could have been avoided if the government had been more responsive to the students'
03:37demands.
03:37He cautioned that given Bangladesh's history with military dictatorships, it is crucial
03:42that the military's role be time-bound until governance can be re-established.
03:50For more UN videos visit www.un.org
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