Sheikh Hasina Meets NSA Doval Close to Delhi; She Might Apply for UK Asylum

General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the head of the Bangladesh Army, declared the establishment of a “interim government” and urged demonstrators to stop their demonstrations in a nationally broadcast speech.

Sheikh Hasina, the leader of Bangladesh, met with Ajit Doval, the national security advisor of India, earlier today after she arrived at the Hindon Air Force facility in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, which is close to Delhi. This meeting followed her resignation as Prime Minister, a position she held for five terms. Her resignation came in the wake of violent protests over a government job quota that resulted in over 300 deaths.

Sources indicate that Sheikh Hasina may seek political asylum in London. Her plane, a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 military transport, will remain parked near Indian Air Force aircraft hangars at the base.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has updated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the events in Bangladesh. Whether Modi and Hasina will meet is still up in the air.

India’s Border Security Force is on high alert along its 4,096-kilometer border with Bangladesh in reaction to the current circumstances. Field commanders have been instructed to be prepared for any developments. Additionally, Indian Railways has suspended all train services to Bangladesh, and Air India has canceled its two daily flights to Dhaka.

Buy Frienship accessories cheaply from Amazon: Click here

Citing safety concerns, IndiGo has likewise halted all flights for the next thirty hours. “All flights scheduled for tomorrow have been canceled due to the situation in Dhaka. We truly regret this situation and acknowledge that it may cause you great difficulty and disturbance to your travel arrangements,” the airline said.

The Bangladesh Army, which had given Sheikh Hasina a 45-minute ultimatum to resign after her government failed to quell the violence, has now taken control. In his televised address, General Waker-Uz-Zaman stated, “There is a crisis. We have agreed to form an interim administration to administer our country after I spoke with leaders of the opposition. I accept full responsibility and swear to keep your life and belongings safe. Your demands will be fulfilled. Please stop the violence.”

Earlier in the day, protesters breached Gonobhaban, the Prime Minister’s residence in Dhaka. Local media estimated that up to 400,000 protesters were on the streets, although this number could not be independently verified. Soldiers and police, equipped with armored vehicles, had barricaded routes to Hasina’s office with barbed wire. Despite these measures, vast crowds managed to break through, forcing the veteran politician to flee.

On Sunday alone, clashes between police and protesters resulted in the deaths of 100 people and injuries to over 1,000. The total death toll has now surpassed 300.

The quota system that reserved up to 30 percent of government positions for the relatives of veterans of Bangladesh’s 1971 war against Pakistan was the initial cause of the protests, which started late last month. The situation escalated dramatically in recent days, with violent confrontations between students, police, and counter-protesters. Shocking scenes have emerged of vehicles and buildings set ablaze and mobs rampaging through the streets.

Read: Mukhyamantri Kalyani Pension Yojana 2024: Widow women of Madhya Pradesh state will be given pension of Rs 600 per month; Apply in this way

The protests briefly subsided after the Bangladesh Supreme Court reduced the reservations to 5 percent. However, they reignited when student leaders claimed that the government had ignored some of their demands, leading to renewed calls for Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.

FAQs