Bangladesh PM Hasina quits and flees as protesters storm palace

August 05 - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reportedly resigned and left the capital Dhaka amid violent protests demanding her resignation, a source close to the embattled leader told the news agency AFP.

"She and her sister have left Ganabhaban (the Prime Minister's official residence) for a safer place," the source told AFP.

"She wanted to record a speech. But she could not get an opportunity to do that," the source said.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters demanding PM Hasina's resignation defied curfew, marching on the capital's streets and entering the Prime Minister's palace.

Soldiers and police with armoured vehicles in Dhaka had barricaded routes to Ms Hasina's office with barbed wire, AFP reporters said, but vast crowds flooded the streets, tearing down barriers.

Local media estimated as many as 400,000 protesters were on the streets but it was impossible to verify the figure.