Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has left Dhaka as violent protests demand her resignation, according to a source close to her who spoke to AFP.

A source told AFP that Sheikh Hasina and her sister left the Prime Minister’s official residence, Ganabhaban, for a safer location. The source said that she wanted to record a speech but did not get the chance to do so.

Crowd marched towards Prime Minister’s palace

Hundreds of thousands of protesters ignored the curfew, marched through the capital’s streets, and later stormed the Prime Minister’s palace. Videos showed crowds entering the official residence in Dhaka, waving at the camera and celebrating.

AFP reporters said that soldiers and police in Dhaka had used armoured vehicles and barbed wire to block the routes to Ms. Hasina’s office, but large crowds flooded the streets and tore down the barriers.

Bangladesh’s army chief, Waker-Uz-Zaman, is about to address the nation after 98 people were killed in intense clashes yesterday. The death toll from the protests that began last month has now risen to over 300.

Ms. Hasina’s son asked the country’s security forces to prevent any attempt to remove her from power. Meanwhile, a senior advisor told AFP that her resignation was a “possibility” when asked if she might step down.

When did the protests start in Bangladesh? 

Protests that started last month over civil service job quotas have escalated into some of the worst unrest during Prime Minister Hasina’s 15-year rule, with growing calls for her to resign at 76. The demonstrations have turned into a broad anti-government movement across Bangladesh, drawing people from all walks of life, including film stars, musicians, and singers. Songs urging support have spread widely on social media.