Sheikh Hasina finally was ousted from the post of Prime Minister before fleeing to India through a military helicopter on 36 July (5 August). With this, her 15-year rule ended in the face of an unprecedented student-led mass uprising where hundreds of people were killed brutally after a crackdown on demonstrations.

Millions of people stormed to the prime minister’s Ganabhaban residence in jubilation soon after. Many found it hard to believe that Hasina's absolute hold on authority and Awami League's fabled political fortress could crumble.

Hasina reached India, where she and her family were sheltered, Indian daily The Hindu reported hours after the ousted Bangladesh ruler fled the country.

The five-time prime minister landed in Agartala, the capital of India's northeastern state of Tripura. Thereafter, the 77-year-old premier was flown to Hindon Air Force Base in Ghaziabad, about 30km from the Indian capital of New Delhi, according to Indian news outlets India Today and NDTV.

Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the former PM's ICT affairs adviser, told BBC that his mother would not "come back" to politics.

Before confirming Hasina’s resignation, army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman said that he had invited representatives of different political parties and discussed with them the formation of an interim government.

He said they had a nice discussion. I think this discussion and they would go to President Mohammed Shahabuddin to discuss the formation of the new government.

Waker-Uz-Zaman confirmed that representatives of all major parties, except the Awami League, were present at the meeting.

He assured all of arranging trials for all killings and injustices and said that he would take responsibility for saving people’s lives and properties, reported the daily new Age’s print version on 6 August.

As street barriers were removed in Dhaka, thousands of protesters rushed to Shahbagh Square in anticipation of Hasnina’s fall.

The army chief was supposed to address the nation at 2:00pm but later it was deferred to 3:00pm. He finally skipped the address and instead held a press conference, which triggered wild jubilation among the protesters and opposition supporters.

Following the resignation of Hasina, hundreds of thousands of people also entered the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and Prime Minister’s Office as well.

The mob set fire to different entities, including AL offices, police stations, and media houses, following Hasina’s fall.

Droves of people began gathering in neighbourhoods of Dhaka and its outskirts ready to converge in the capital's Shahbagh from early morning. There were also thousands gathering outside the capital and marching towards it, braving all obstacles. The strong tide turned on the back of university students.

President met with the political parties, military chiefs, and civil society representatives in the evening.

A Bangabhaban press release said that the meeting had unanimously decided to immediately free BNP chief and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

The meeting also decided to form an interim government immediately and urged everyone to show patience and tolerance. The military will strictly maintain law and order and prevent lawlessness. Parliament will be dissolved and all those arrested during the anti-quota protests will be released, reported the Daily Star in its print version 6 August.

All government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous and private organisations, factories and all educational institutions in the country will remain open from 6 August, according to a release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations on 5 August night.

The president’s office also stated that it was unanimously decided in the meetings that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would be released immediately. It was also decided to release all those detained in connection with the anti-discrimination student movement and various recent cases.

After the meeting with the President, BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Alamgir told journalists that Tarique Rahman had fully supported this movement and that they had made all necessary arrangements to bring him back to the country.