Parliament in Bangladesh has been dissolved after its 15-year leader fled the country and resigned following weeks of protests against her government.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament on Tuesday, clearing the way for new elections to be held.

It comes after weeks of violent protests which resulted in more than 300 people being killed and culminated in Sheikh Hasina having to quit and seek refuge in India.

There were no new protests reported since Ms Hasina, 76 and who is the daughter of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahma, resigned on Monday, as thousands took to the streets of Dhaka to celebrate.

The president of the 170m-strong country also ordered opposition leader Khaleda Zia to be released from house arrest.

Read more on Sky News:
Why are people rioting across the UK?
What is Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘standing army’?

Zia, a longtime rival of the ousted prime minister, was convicted on corruption charges by Ms Hasina’s government in 2018.

As the country waited for a new government to emerge, a key student leader said protesters wanted Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus to head an interim government.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Yunus, who is currently in Paris for the Olympics, called Ms Hasina’s resignation the country’s “second liberation day” and, according to student leader Nahid Islam, he has agreed to head an interim government.

Bangladesh’s figurehead president and its top military commander said late Monday that an interim government would be formed soon to preside over new elections.

Ms Hasina fled to India by helicopter on Monday as protesters defied military curfew orders to march on the capital, with thousands of demonstrators eventually storming her official residence and other buildings associated with her party and family.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

According to the Indian Express newspaper, Ms Hasina was taken to a safe house and is likely to travel to the UK.

Protests originally kicked off as people sought to oppose a quota system for government jobs.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

But the high death toll from clashes between police and pro-government activists triggered more protests demanding accountability from the government for the violence.

Those then grew into calls for Ms Hasina – who won a fourth straight term in January in an election boycotted by the opposition – to step down.

Related posts:

How are other countries responding to the rise of Omicron? How the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has been controversial from the start Martial law, blood bank queues and bomb shelters: Life in Ukraine as Russia invades Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators ‘suffered symptoms of suspected chemical weapons poisoning’ China security pact with Solomon Islands ‘concerning’ – Australia and New Zealand ‘They are begging us to help them’: Izyum mayor is fearing nothing less than a catastrophe in Ukrainian city Entire town sealed off as 10,000 El Salvador police search for gang members Israel retaliates after six missiles fired from Syria towards Golan Heights South Africa beat New Zealand to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups Proposal to swap Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners sent to Hamas after Paris talks Protesters demand release of key rival to Indian leader ‘It’s hard to understand how he got there’: Locals confused by Jay Slater discovery – as new search of area launched