In a significant development, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Monday evening after landing at the Hindon Air Force base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, approximately 30 km from Delhi. This meeting followed a tumultuous day in Bangladesh, where Hasina, a five-time Prime Minister, was forced to resign following violent protests that resulted in over 300 deaths.
Sources have indicated that Sheikh Hasina is expected to depart for London soon. According to NDTV, which quoted agencies, her plane, a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 military transport, will be stationed near the Indian Air Force’s C-17 and C-130J Super Hercules aircraft hangars.
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed on the situation in Bangladesh by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. There has been no confirmation yet on whether Modi will meet Hasina during her stay in India.
BSF on alert
In response to the escalating crisis, India’s Border Security Force has been placed on high alert along the 4,096 km border with Bangladesh. Field commanders have been instructed to take “on ground” positions and be ready for any eventuality. Additionally, Indian Railways has suspended all trains to Bangladesh, and Air India has cancelled its two daily flights to Dhaka. IndiGo has also suspended all flights for the next 30 hours, citing the “situation in Dhaka” and expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to travelers.
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The unrest in Bangladesh reached a critical point when the Bangladesh Army, which had given Sheikh Hasina a 45-minute ultimatum to resign after her government failed to control the violence, took control. In a televised address, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced the formation of an “interim government” and urged protesters to cease their activities.
The Army takeover in Bangladesh
“There is a crisis. I have met Opposition leaders and we have decided to form an interim government to run this country. I take all responsibility and promise to protect your life and property. Your demands will be fulfilled. Please stop the violence,” said General Zaman.
Earlier in the day, protesters broke into Gonobhaban, the Dhaka residence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Reports indicated that Hasina’s personal belongings, including sarees and paintings, were stolen by the mob after she fled the residence.
Local media estimated the number of protesters to be around 400,000, although this figure has not been independently verified. AFP reporters noted that soldiers and police had barricaded routes to Hasina’s office with barbed wire, but the vast crowds managed to tear down these barriers and flood the streets.
What led to the Bangladesh protests
The protests, which began late last month over a controversial quota system that reserves up to 30 percent of government jobs for family members of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 war against Pakistan, have escalated dramatically. Despite a brief lull following a Supreme Court decision to reduce the reservations to 5 percent, the unrest flared up again after student leaders accused the government of ignoring their demands, ultimately leading to calls for the resignation of Sheikh Hasina.
The violence over the past few days has been particularly intense, with reports of vehicles and buildings set ablaze and violent clashes between students, police, and counter-protesters. The death toll has surpassed 300, with over 100 people killed and more than 1,000 injured in clashes on Sunday alone.
As the situation continues to evolve, the international community is closely monitoring developments in Bangladesh, with significant implications for regional stability and security.
