Former Bangladesh Prime Miniser Sheikh Hasina was seen fleeing from her residence in Dhaka in a chopper on Monday as her country was embroiled in violent clashes between anti-government and pro-government protesters that left over 300 dead.
Shortly afterwards, Sheikh Hasina, 76, landed at the Hindon Air Force base in Ghaziabad, near Delhi, on a military aircraft. She is expected to leave for London, sources told NDTV.
This comes after the Bangladesh Army gave Sheikh Hasina 45 minutes to resign as her government was unable to control the violence and then took over to form an interim government.
"There is a crisis. I have met Opposition leaders and we have decided to form an interim government to run this country. I take all responsibility and promise to protect your life and property. Your demands will be fulfilled. Please stop the violence," Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said in a televised speech.
Just hours earlier, protesters had reached Sheikh Hasina's residence, Ganabhaban, in Dhaka.
The violence began last month after students demanded the scrapping of a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for family members of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's 1971 war against Pakistan.
Sheikh Hasina won her fourth consecutive term in January this year in a controversial election that was boycotted by Bangladesh's main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, calling the polls a sham.
