**Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN)** — Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned on Monday following weeks of deadly anti-government protests that engulfed the South Asian nation.
The announcement came from Bangladesh’s army chief, Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman, after protesters stormed the prime minister's official residence in Dhaka.
Images showed flames rising from vehicles near Hasina’s residence, with police struggling to control crowds of people charging towards the area. Scenes also depicted protesters climbing a statue of Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's independence leader, in Dhaka and hacking at its head with an axe, according to Reuters.
Earlier, military and police forces had clashed with demonstrators rallying in the vicinity, reported a CNN journalist in Dhaka.
At least 91 people were killed and hundreds injured on Sunday in clashes between police and protesters demanding the abolition of quotas for government jobs and the resignation of the prime minister. Critics argue that the civil service job quotas are discriminatory.
The death toll on Sunday, which included 13 police officers, was the highest for a single day of protests in the country’s recent history, surpassing the 67 deaths reported on July 19 when students protested against the quotas, according to Reuters. UNICEF reported on Friday that at least 32 children were killed during last month's protests.
The widespread unrest, which spread to cities such as Rajshahi, Barisal, and Chittagong, led the government to impose an indefinite nationwide curfew over the weekend. Human rights groups accused authorities of using excessive force against protesters, a charge the government denies.
Following Hasina’s resignation, the military will form an interim government, according to the army chief, who called on students “to maintain peace and help us.”
"Whatever demands you have, we will fulfill to bring back peace to the nation. Please help us in this and stay away from violence," Zaman said on Monday. He added, "The military will not fire at anyone, and the police will not fire at anyone. I have given orders."
The US embassy in Dhaka has urged US citizens to "shelter in a safe place," according to new travel guidance issued Monday. Authorities also advised US nationals in the capital to consider returning to their home country amid the "unpredictable and volatile" atmosphere.
The main flight hub in Dhaka, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, was temporarily closed following Hasina’s resignation, according to the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) state news agency.
On Sunday, Hasina labeled the student protesters as “terrorists” attempting to “destabilize the nation,” according to Reuters. “I appeal to our countrymen to suppress these terrorists with a strong hand,” she stated.
Earlier this year, human rights organizations raised concerns about the rise in political violence following a general election in which Hasina secured a fourth consecutive term.
The main opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, boycotted the national vote in January, with critics warning that Hasina's government was heading toward a one-party system plagued by accusations of authoritarianism.
Reactions to her resignation on Monday were mixed, ranging from jubilation to cynicism.
“Hasina may be gone, but there is still a long road ahead for Bangladesh. Until our religious and ethnic minorities are protected and justice is served to them as well, the nation is not free,” Khatib Zahin, 28, told CNN.
Another resident, Arifeen Mahmood Khan, remarked, “Let’s be better, stronger, and kinder than we’ve ever been before. Let’s work together to build the better Bangladesh we’ve always dreamed of.”
**Police 'Brutally Beating' Protesters in Dhaka**
Earlier today, police opened fire on protesters in Dhaka, as reported by a CNN journalist, amidst growing scrutiny over the security forces' violent crackdown on demonstrators.
At least four individuals were injured during a protest at Dhaka Medical College on Monday, with one person sustaining a gunshot wound to the head.
Protesters informed CNN that the military was blocking the Bakshibazar Gate of Dhaka Medical College. Additionally, police deployed tear gas against the demonstrators, according to a protester on the scene.
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