Dhaka, Aug. 6: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was asked to leave within 45 minutes by the top brass of the security establishment and she was convinced by her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy on telephone to step down from the PM’s post, a Bangladesh media report said on Tuesday.

She had called a meeting of the security top brass on Monday morning as protesters were marching towards the PM’s residence, demanding her resignation. This was a day after more than 100 people were killed during violent clashes across the country.

According to a report in a leading Bengali daily, Prothom Alo, “At one point Sheikh Hasina said, indicating the IGP, they (the police) are doing well. The IGP then said, the situation has reached a point where even the police will no longer be able to hold on to such a stern stance.”

The top officials tried to explain to her that it will no longer be possible for the situation to be controlled by force. But Hasina was unwilling to accept that. The officials then spoke to Sheikh Rehana, Hasina’s younger sister, in a separate room. They explained the situation to her and asked her to convince Hasina. Rehana then talked to Hasina, but she was determined to hold on to power. Then, at one point, one of the top officers called Hasina’s son who was abroad. Joy spoke to his mother over the phone. After that Hasina agreed to resign. She wanted to record a speech addressed to the nation, the report said, capturing the last few hours before Hasina fled the country.

“…By then intelligence reports had come in that huge number of students had started their march from Shahbagh and Uttara. Given the distance, it was estimated that it would take 45 minutes for the demonstrators to reach Ganabhaban from Shahbagh. There may not be enough time to record a speech. Taking that into consideration, Sheikh Hasina was not given time to record any speech but to get prepared to leave within 45 minutes,” it said.

“After that Sheikh Hasina and sister Sheikh Rehana came to the helipad of the old airport in Tejgaon. Some luggage of theirs was loaded and they then went to Bangabhaban. Sheikh Hasina carried out her resignation formalities there and around 2:30 pm Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister left by military helicopter for India,” it said.

After entering Indian airspace, the helicopter circled for some time and later landed at a BSF helipad in Agartala. She went to Delhi from there and landed at the Indian military airbase in Hindon on Monday evening.-Agencies