Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 5: The former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the violence-hit nation following her resignation on Monday, is likely to remain in India till she is granted a political asylum in a third country, most likely the United Kingdom, official sources said.
Hasina, 76, who fled Bangladesh following month long massive and deadly anti-government protests across the country, is seeking an asylum in the UK. Hasina’s sister Rehana, who hold a UK citizenship, is also accompanying the embattled leader. According to the sources, no confirmation from the UK regarding political asylum for Hasina has been received so far.
Rehana is the younger daughter of ‘father of Bangladesh’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Fazilatun Necha Mujib and the younger sister of Sheikh Hasina. Rehana’s daughter Tulip Siddiq is a member of the British Parliament for the Labour Party.
At around 6:30 pm, Bangladesh Air Force’s C-130 transport aircraft AJAX1413 carrying Hasina and her sister reached Ghaziabad’s Hindon Air Base. “The aircraft movement was monitored by Indian Air Force and security agencies from its entry into Indian airspace to Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad,” it said.
Later, India National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval along with and senior military officials met the embattled leader at the airbase and assured full security to her. The Indian Air Force and other security agencies are providing security to Hasina.
From here, the embattled prime minister was taken to a safe place in the national capital. Earlier it was reported that Ms Hasina after landing in India, would take a commercial flight to London, but there has been no response from UK on her stay.
Soon after her arrival at Hindon air base, the external affairs minister S Jaishankar called on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him on the situation in Bangladesh. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has also spoken to Jaishankar. The two spoke briefly on the sidelines of the Parliament, Congress said.
India’s Border Security Force is on high alert across the country’s 4,096 km border with Bangladesh, with field commanders ordered to take “on ground” positions and be prepared for anything.
Sheikh Hasina, a five-term prime minister of Bangladesh, resigned on Monday owing to the massive unrest in the country over the controversial quota system that reserves 30 per cent of the government jobs for the families of veterans who fought the 1971 liberation war.
Born to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the principal orchestrator of Bangladesh’s independence, Hasina has been at the forefront of the movement for democracy in Bangladesh. On August 15, 1975, Hasina’s father, mother, and three brothers were assassinated in their home by several military officers. Hasina, who was out of the country then, spent six years in exile.
In 1981, Hasina returned to Bangladesh and became an advocate of democracy. After becoming the leader of the opposition in the Bangladesh parliament, Hasina spoke out against military rule and initiated measures to secure human rights for all citizens.
She first became the prime minister in 1996. Ever since Ms Hasina, chief of the ruling Awami League, took over as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, her rule has witnessed protests by the Opposition that often turned violent. Hasina was also accused of suppressing the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party ahead of the January 2024 general elections. According to the BNP, more than 20,000 of its leaders, members, and supporters were arrested since October 2023.
A 12-hour night curfew was imposed in Meghalaya which has a 443-km border with Bangladesh. The ruling BJP’s ally in Tripura, the Tipra Motha – which has 856-km border with Bangladesh – has been assured by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that no infiltration will be allowed.
The Bangladesh local media estimated as many as 400,000 protesters were on the streets but it was impossible to verify the figure. Soldiers and police with armoured vehicles had barricaded routes to Ms Hasina’s office with barbed wire but vast crowds flooded the streets, tearing down barriers. But by then the veteran politician had fled.
