External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Tuesday told Rajya Sabha that former prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina “apparently made the decision to resign and at very short notice, she requested approval to come for the moment to India.”
“On August 5, demonstrators converged in Dhaka despite the curfew. Our understanding is after a meeting with leaders of security establishments, Sheik Hasina apparently made the decision to resign,” the minister said.
“At very short notice, she requested approval to come for the moment to India. We simultaneously received a request for flight clearance from Bangladesh authorities. She arrived yesterday (August 5) evening in Delhi,” he further said.
The minister, emphasising that Hasina placed a request to come to India “for the moment”, indicates that she is in the country only to stop over in the interim of her forward journey.
Hasina was forced to resign from the prime ministerial post in Bangladesh and she fled from Dhaka on August 5 after weeks of protests against a quota system for government jobs descended into violence and grew into a bigger challenge to her 15-year rule.
The situation in Bangladesh is still evolving. The Bangladesh Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman addressed the nation on August 5. He spoke about assuming responsibility and constituting an interim government.
Govt in lose & continuous touch with Indians in Bangladesh
Jaishankar further told the Upper House of parliament that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is in “close and continuous touch with the Indian community in Bangladesh through our diplomatic missions.”
There are an estimated 19,000 Indian nationals there of which about 9000 are students. The bulk of the students have already returned in the month of July on the advice of the High Commission.
The EAM further said that the government is monitoring the situation with respect to the minorities in Bangladesh. According to local media reports, Hindu temples have been vandalised in the violence after Hasina fled Dhaka.
“On August 4, events took a very serious turn. Attacks on police, including police stations and government installations, intensified even as level of violence greatly escalated. Properties of individuals associated with the regime were torched across the country,” the Union Minister said.
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“What was particularly worrying was that minorities, the businesses and temples also came under attack at multiple locations. The full extent is still not clear,” he further said.
India’s diplomatic presence in Bangladesh
“In terms of our diplomatic presence, in addition to the High Commission in Dhaka, we have Assistant High Commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet. It is our expectation that the host government will provide the required security protection for these establishments. We look forward to their normal functioning once the situation stabilises,” Jaishakar said.
“We are also monitoring the situation with regard to the status of minorities. There are reports of initiatives by various groups and organisations to ensure their protection and well-being. Naturally, we will remain deeply concerned till law and order is visibly restored,” he said.
Forces at border asked to be ’exceptionally alert’
Our border guarding forces have been instructed to be exceptionally alert in view of this complex situation. In last 24 hours, we have been in touch with authorities in Dhaka.”
The minister ended his address by saying, “I seek the understanding and support of the House in regard to the sensitive issues regarding an important neighbour on which there has always been strong national concerns.
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‘Request received at short notice’: Jaishankar on Hasina’s landing in India amid Bangladesh turmoil
