Protests Force Bangladesh’s Longest-Serving Prime Minister to Flee : State of the World from NPR

Anti-government protestors celebrate in Dhaka on August 5.

Abu Sufian Jewel/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

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Abu Sufian Jewel/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Anti-government protestors celebrate in Dhaka on August 5.

Abu Sufian Jewel/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

This week the prime minister of Bangladesh fled the country by helicopter, forced out by a protest movement that started peacefully but became violent. We hear from our correspondent about the events that lead to this dramatic change in government. And we hear reaction from a journalist who had been jailed 6 years ago for criticizing that government.