Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to be sworn in as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government on Thursday…reports Asian Lite News
The United States has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the interim government of Bangladesh as the country navigates towards a democratic future. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, during his daily news conference on Wednesday, stated, “We continue to monitor developments in Bangladesh, and we have observed the appointment of Muhammad Yunus as the leader of an interim government.” He emphasised that the interim government is expected to play a crucial role in fostering long-term peace and political stability in Bangladesh.
In response to inquiries about the rapidly unfolding events in Bangladesh, Miller reiterated the U.S. position, highlighting the importance of democratic principles, rule of law, and respecting the will of the Bangladeshi people in all decisions regarding the interim government.
A State Department spokesperson further added, “We understand Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus has agreed to lead Bangladesh’s interim government. We stand ready to work with the interim government as it charts a democratic future for the people of Bangladesh.”
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to be sworn in as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government on Thursday. In a statement, Yunus appealed for calm and urged everyone to “refrain from all kinds of violence” to maximize the benefits of this “new victory.”
Amid efforts to stabilise the situation, Army Chief Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that the interim government would be sworn in around 8 pm on Thursday. He also mentioned that the advisory council might include 15 members.
While continuing to reward Pakistan by prioritising short-term geopolitical considerations, the Biden administration has been criticising democratic backsliding in Bangladesh…reports Asian Lite News
As the political tumult in Bangladesh sends security ripples across South Asia, many wonder if Washington played a role in the ouster of Shiekh Hasina.
Several international diplomats, including the US State Department spokesperson, were speaking on the events of the previous weeks without trying to verify the facts, revealing their dislike towards the government in Bangladesh.
For some time now, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had been targeting Bangladesh as the focal point of its democracy promotion efforts by dangling the threat of visa sanctions against officials who undermine free elections while staying silent on the undeclared martial law situation in Pakistan, where mass arrests, disappearances and torture have become political weapons?
While continuing to reward Pakistan by prioritising short-term geopolitical considerations, the Biden administration has been criticising democratic backsliding in Bangladesh. In 2021, it designated Bangladesh’s elite Rapid Action Battalion and six of its current and former leaders as complicit in, or engaged in, serious human rights abuses in relation to the country’s war on drugs, effectively freezing all their assets in the US.
In December 2023, Peter Haas, the U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, insolently demanded that the authorities investigate a deadly clash between police and members of the BNP. Blinken told Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen of his “concerns about violence against, and intimidation of, the media and civil society,” according to a State Department statement.
In a professed aim of free and fair elections in Bangladesh, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken threatened to withhold visas from individuals “responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process”, clearly aimed at members of Hasina’s government.
In April 2024 Shiekh Hasina, contended that the U.S. is pursuing a strategy of regime change in her country. “They are trying to eliminate democracy and introduce a government that will not have a democratic existence,” she told parliament, “It will be an undemocratic action.”
Then in May 2024 Sheikh Hasina again talked of a ‘foreign conspiracy’ to topple her government, months before she was forced to quit. “If I allowed a certain country to build an airbase in Bangladesh, then I’d have no problem getting re-elected…The offer came from a White Man”, said Hasina. In this edition of the editor’s table, we explore whether a ‘western plot’ was in place to ensure Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from Bangladesh.
Indeed, despite mounting evidence that the quota movement was in fact a conspiracy and that the violence was deliberately being instigated by the Jamaat, ICS and BNP cadres, Western international agencies chose to target the Awami League government.
Several international organisations issued condemnations of violence against the protesters, with some even calling indirectly for regime change and sanctions against Bangladesh’s security forces, and accusing the Hasina government of indulging in systematic violations of human rights and autocratic practices, without trying to verify the facts, revealing their dislike towards the government in Bangladesh.
“Now is the time for influential governments to press Sheikh Hasina to stop her forces from brutalising students and other protesters,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director of HRW. Ganguly also called for sanctions against Bangladesh security forces.
A group of UN experts issued a statement, demanding an independent probe into accusations of violence. They alleged that the Bangladesh government has no credibility in such matters, and cannot be trusted. “We are deeply concerned by reports of targeted attacks, threats, intimidation, and retaliation by the authorities and Government-aligned groups against protest leaders, political activists, human rights defenders and journalists,” the statement read.
Volker Turk, UN Human Rights chief, too asked for an independent investigation into the alleged human rights violations during the state’s crackdown on the protesters. “We understand that many people were subjected to violent attacks by groups reportedly affiliated with the Government, and no effort was made to protect them,”
It may be recalled that the West has not been sparing in its constant criticism of the Hasina government over human rights issues. The US and several other countries had questioned the legitimacy of the last elections in January, in which Hasina’s Awami League was reelected for a fourth consecutive term.
In April 2024, at a briefing titled “Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) and its implications for Bangladesh” Maxwell Martin, Indo-Pacific Strategy Officer at the US embassy in Dhaka revealed that as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, the United States wants to see Bangladesh Armed Forces become a “net security provider in the region.” When asked about India playing a leadership role in the region in the implementation of IPS, Martin emphasised that the US looks at its relations with Bangladesh “on a bilateral basis”, “We don’t look at our relations through the lens of another country. This is something we hear in Bangladesh – that the US sees Bangladesh through the lens of India. I don’t think that’s true.”
Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stand guard as Bangladesh citizens arrive at the Petrapol checkpoint amid the turmoil in the neighbouring country, in North 24 Parganas. (ANI Photo)
Martin said the US wanted to help the armed forces achieve its Forces Goal 2030, ensure the country’s security, respond to manmade and natural disasters and engage more in UN peacekeeping missions. Martin said the recent emphasis on labour rights in Bangladesh, and the earlier emphasis on free and fair national elections, were part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy. “You’ve seen us be a bit more open and vocal. We are also ramping up our engagement with Bangladesh on multiple fronts – economic, political and security,” he said.
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin had dissolved the Parliament on Tuesday after the resignation of the former Prime Minister on Monday….reports Asian Lite News
Bangladeshi Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said Wednesday that an interim government, headed by Nobel Laureate and noted economist Muhammad Yunus, will be sworn in on Thursday night.
Addressing the media in Dhaka, the Army Chief said that the situation across the country is improving significantly and normalcy would return within the next three-four days.
He said that the interim government, likely to be sworn in at 8 pm local time on Thursday, will have an advisory council of 15 members.
General Waker-Uz-Zaman also mentioned that he has spoken with Prof Yunus.
“I felt very good talking to him. It seemed to me that he is very eager to do this job. I am certain he will be successful in taking us to a democratic process, and that we will benefit from it,” The Daily Star quoted the Army Chief as saying.
The Bangladesh Army Chief mentioned that those involved in the crimes committed over the past few days “will not be spared” and legal action would be taken against them, the newspaper reported.
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin had dissolved the Parliament on Tuesday after the resignation of the former Prime Minister on Monday.
Hasina, who was serving her fourth straight term in office since assuming power in 2009, is currently in India after leaving Dhaka on Monday.
It is believed that Nahid Islam, one of the main coordinators of the anti-quota protests that eventually led to the resignation of Hasina, emerged as one of the key figures in the formation of an interim government in the country.
Islam, along with President Shahabuddin and Army chief Zaman, was locked in significant discussions Tuesday evening on the structure of the new government following Hasina’s departure from the country.
On Monday, as chaos ruled the streets of Dhaka, Islam had told mediapersons that he will propose an interim national government “within the next 24 hours” which will also have a fair representation from the student community and members of the civil society.
He has also played a major role in convincing Muhammad Yunus to become the head of the interim government in the country.
The development comes a day after India evacuated non-essential staff and their families from its High Commission and consulates in Bangladesh….reports Asian Lite News
Amid the crisis in Bangladesh that forced Sheikha Hasina to resign as the Prime Minister, all Indian visa application centres in Bangladesh will remain closed until further orders.
However, Indian diplomats remain in the country and the missions are functional, sources said
The online portal Indian Visa Application Center (Bangladesh) has a message, “All IVACs will remain closed till further notice, due to unstable situation. Next application date will be informed through SMS & It is requested to pick up the passport on the next working day.”
The development comes a day after India evacuated non-essential staff and their families from its High Commission and consulates in Bangladesh.
India has a high commission in Dhaka and consulates in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in an address to the Parliament, said “India is closely monitoring the status of minorities in Bangladesh.”
He said the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh is in touch with the Indians citizens there.
After the protests broke out, many of the students returned to India.
After lumbering through chaos and violence, Bangladesh is set to get an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on Thursday.
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved the Parliament on Tuesday after the resignation of the former Prime Minister on Monday.
Hasina, who was serving her fourth straight term in office since assuming power in 2009, is currently in India after leaving Dhaka on Monday.
It is believed that Nahid Islam, one of the main coordinators of the anti-quota protests that eventually led to the resignation of Hasina, emerged as one of the key figures in the formation of an interim government in the country.
Islam, along with President Shahabuddin and Army chief Zaman, was locked in significant discussions Tuesday evening on the structure of the new government following Hasina’s departure from the country.
Sheikh Hasina seemed to be aware of a larger foreign conspiracy to topple her government. During her visit to a hospital on July 27 to meet people injured in the violent quota reform protests, she claimed that her country was facing a conspiracy targeting its political stability and economic progress … writes Khalid Rahman
The British government has called for a United Nations-led investigation into the violent incidents of the past few weeks in Bangladesh, which led to the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India before reportedly seeking asylum in the UK. Foreign Secretary David Lammy issued a statement condemning the unprecedented levels of violence and tragic loss of life over the last two weeks in Bangladesh. He stated that the UK wanted to see action towards a democratic future for the country.
Is there any international conspiracy for regime change in Bangladesh?
Political analysts are dissecting geopolitical interests, foreign policy agendas, and internal dynamics to find out some clues.
On August 4, Sheikh Hasina, the long-time prime minister of Bangladesh, resigned and fled the nation. Inputs indicate that foreign elements are behind the dramatic turn of events. While the main opposition the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in collaboration with its Islamic hardliner groups like the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) fanned the fire of the protests and ensured that the movement turn violent, the entire scenario for regime change was being planned by Washington for some time now.
The administration of US President Joe Biden had decided to make Bangladesh the focus of its democracy promotion efforts. The Biden administration has spared no opportunity to criticise Hasina’s government in the past few years, threatening visa controls, sanctions. Even as Bangladesh’s economic achievements under Hasina were being internationally lauded, the Biden administration excluded Bangladesh from the Summits for Democracy convened in 2021 and 2023 which ironically Pakistan was invited both times, though it did not attend.
People shout slogans as they take part in a protest against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government. (Photo: IANS/@trahmanbnp)
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) intrigue Fanned the Fire:
There appears to be intelligence to the effect that Pakistan’s ISI was using students to pressure Hasina into quitting. The aim was to establish an anti-India government, and ISI sleeper cells were also being activated against Hasina. It was clear from the start that the large-scale protests that broke out in Bangladesh in July were being fomented and egged on by a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) intrigue. In fact during the initial phase of the protests Dhaka Police had hinted that the Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of the outlawed JeI backed by Pakistan’s ISI, has played a major role instigating violence and transforming student protests into a political movement in Bangladesh that has impacted the routine of millions.
The BNP head office is where the conspiracies and violent politics centering the quota reform movement were being instigated and abetted.
Indian intelligence agencies have been monitoring the Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the student arm of the Jamaat-e-Islami for a while now. “The ultimate objective of Jamaat or ICS is to establish a Taliban-type govt in Bangladesh, and the ISI has been assuring them of their support in achieving this goal. Their proximity became flagrant in the wake of the strengthening ties between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments,” an intelligence officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told News18.
Sheikh Hasina seemed to be aware of a larger foreign conspiracy to topple her government. During her visit to a hospital on July 27 to meet people injured in the violent quota reform protests, she claimed that her country was facing a conspiracy targeting its political stability and economic progress.
“It might be their conspiracy to make us again a nation of beggars by crippling the country’s economy completely,” she said. She asked that if economic destruction was not the motive, why did the protesters target essential infrastructure such as metro stations, hospitals, and expressways.
Sheikh Hasina visiting Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban to assess the damage caused during recent student protests for public service quota reform, in Dhaka. (Photo: IANS)
She blamed the opposition, the BNP collaborating JeI, in infiltrating the legitimate protests carried out by the students to unleash widespread violence and destruction. She wondered why the students, despite the government repeatedly stating in support of their demands of reforms in the quota system, failed to stop their agitation. She underlined that students refused to end their agitation even after the Supreme Court drastically reduced the quota to just 7%.
In an interview with Al-Jazeera Bangladesh’s minister of state for information and broadcasting Mohammad Arafat had said, “We are not referring to the students [as] terrorists and anarchists. It is the third party, those who intruded into this movement and started doing all this,” Arafat claimed. “Some people [were] trying to add fuel to the fire, [were] trying to create a situation where they can take advantage… and topple the government.”
The Awami League published an article on its official website claiming the same. The article, “Quota Movement: the Blueprint for regime change in Bangladesh,” lists the major incidents during the violence showing the pattern claiming it proves the intention of the rioters to bring regime change in the country.
Stronger Possibility of a US led Regime Change:
Several international diplomats, including the US State Department spokesperson, were speaking on the events of the previous weeks without trying to verify the facts, revealing their dislike towards the government in Bangladesh.
For some time now, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had been targeting Bangladesh as the focal point of its democracy promotion efforts by dangling the threat of visa sanctions against officials who undermine free elections while staying silent on the undeclared martial law situation in Pakistan, where mass arrests, disappearances and torture have become political weapons?
While continuing to reward Pakistan by prioritising short-term geopolitical considerations, the Biden administration has been criticising democratic backsliding in Bangladesh. In 2021, it designated Bangladesh’s elite Rapid Action Battalion and six of its current and former leaders as complicit in, or engaged in, serious human rights abuses in relation to the country’s war on drugs, effectively freezing all their assets in the U.S.
In December 2023, Peter Haas, the U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, insolently demanded that the authorities investigate a deadly clash between police and members of the BNP. Blinken told Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen of his “concerns about violence against, and intimidation of, the media and civil society,” according to a State Department statement.
In a professed aim of free and fair elections in Bangladesh, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken threatened to withhold visas from individuals “responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process”, clearly aimed at members of Hasina’s government.
In April 2024 Hasina, contended that the U.S. is pursuing a strategy of regime change in her country. “They are trying to eliminate democracy and introduce a government that will not have a democratic existence,” she told parliament, “It will be an undemocratic action.”
Then in May 2024 Sheikh Hasina again talked of a ‘foreign conspiracy’ to topple her government, months before she was forced to quit. “If I allowed a certain country to build an airbase in Bangladesh, then I’d have no problem getting re-elected…The offer came from a White Man”, said Hasina. In this edition of the editor’s table, we explore whether a ‘western plot’ was in place to ensure Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from Bangladesh.
Indeed despite mounting evidence that the quota movement was in fact a conspiracy and that the violence was deliberately being instigated by the Jamaat, ICS and BNP cadres, Western international agencies chose to target the Awami League government.
BNP chief Khaleda Zia
Several international organisations issued condemnations of violence against the protesters, with some even calling indirectly for regime change and sanctions against Bangladesh’s security forces, and accusing the Hasina government of indulging in systematic violations of human rights and autocratic practices, without trying to verify the facts, revealing their dislike towards the government in Bangladesh.
“Now is the time for influential governments to press Sheikh Hasina to stop her forces from brutalising students and other protesters,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director of HRW. Ganguly also called for sanctions against Bangladesh security forces.
A group of UN experts issued a statement, demanding an independent probe into accusations of violence. They alleged that the Bangladesh government has no credibility in such matters, and cannot be trusted. “We are deeply concerned by reports of targeted attacks, threats, intimidation, and retaliation by the authorities and Government-aligned groups against protest leaders, political activists, human rights defenders and journalists,” the statement read.
Volker Turk, UN Human Rights chief, too asked for an independent investigation into the alleged human rights violations during the state’s crackdown on the protesters. “We understand that many people were subjected to violent attacks by groups reportedly affiliated with the Government, and no effort was made to protect them,”
It may be recalled that the West has not been sparing in its constant criticism of the Hasina government over human rights issues. The US and several other countries had questioned the legitimacy of the last elections in January, in which Hasina’s Awami League was reelected for a fourth consecutive term.
In April 2024, at a briefing titled “Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) and its implications for Bangladesh” Maxwell Martin, Indo-Pacific Strategy Officer at the US embassy in Dhaka revealed that as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, the United States wants to see Bangladesh Armed Forces become a “net security provider in the region.” When asked about India playing a leadership role in the region in the implementation of IPS, Martin emphasised that the US looks at its relations with Bangladesh “on a bilateral basis”, “We don’t look at our relations through the lens of another country. This is something we hear in Bangladesh – that the US sees Bangladesh through the lens of India. I don’t think that’s true.”
Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stand guard as Bangladesh citizens arrive at the Petrapol checkpoint amid the turmoil in the neighbouring country, in North 24 Parganas. (ANI Photo)
Martin said the US wanted to help the armed forces achieve its Forces Goal 2030, ensure the country’s security, respond to manmade and natural disasters and engage more in UN peacekeeping missions. Martin said the recent emphasis on labour rights in Bangladesh, and the earlier emphasis on free and fair national elections, were part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy. “You’ve seen us be a bit more open and vocal. We are also ramping up our engagement with Bangladesh on multiple fronts – economic, political and security,” he said.
The Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami is believed to have extensive ties with the ISI, with several members having traveled to Pakistan….reports Asian Lite News
The Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, has become the key orchestrator behind the student protests and subsequent upheaval in Bangladesh, India Today reported.
The radical student group is thought to be supported by Pakistan’s ISI, which sought to oust Sheikh Hasina. Hasina was forced to resign as Prime Minister on Monday after the army gave her only 45 minutes to step down and flee the country.
India Today quoted sources revealing that over the past two years, many ICS members have been enrolled in various Bangladeshi universities, where they began inciting student unrest. The recent protests over a contentious quota system for government jobs were predominantly led by these university students.
According to the India Today reports, the ICS’s primary strongholds are Dhaka University, Chittagong University, Jahangir University, Sylhet University, and Rajshahi University. Notably, all student organizations that won university elections in the last three years did so with ICS support. The ICS is believed to have extensive ties with the ISI, with several members having traveled to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,400 individuals, including several top leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, have been granted bail in connection with cases related to the recent violence following student protests in the South Asian country, local media reported on Wednesday.
Among those granted bail are prominent figures such as BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, Bangladesh Jatiyo Party (Manju) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho, and former Ducsu vice-president Nurul Haque Nur, The Dhaka Star reported.
The individuals were produced before the court between July 17 and August 4 on charges of rioting, illegal gatherings, assaulting law enforcers, arson, and damaging property.
Additionally, at least 15 cases were filed over murder, and two under the Cyber Security Act for spreading false and fabricated information on social platforms.
: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina visits Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban to assess the damage caused during recent student protests for public service quota reform, in Dhaka. (Photo: IANS)
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court of Dhaka granted bail to the accused after defence lawyers filed petitions on Tuesday, reports the local media, quoting court staffers.
Following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the announcement of an interim government, there was a surge in the sale of bail bonds.
The hearings were held immediately whenever a bail application was made in a political case.
The hearings for bail applications in political cases were expedited, with immediate sessions held upon submission of applications.
Lawyers began queuing to apply for bail for those arrested in political cases starting Tuesday morning. Long lines of lawyers formed at the court booths to purchase bail bonds, following a decision taken during a morning meeting with lawyers at the district judge’s court meeting room, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
At least 10 people were killed in violence-hit Satkhira, and 11 more lost their lives in mob attacks in Comilla….reports Asian Lite News
Amid the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the bodies of 29 people, including 20 Awami League leaders, were found across the country, local media reported on Wednesday.
These deaths follow the resignation of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her departure from the country on Monday, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
At least 10 people were killed in violence-hit Satkhira, and 11 more lost their lives in mob attacks in Comilla.
The turmoil has led to widespread vandalism and looting of the homes and business establishments of Awami League leaders and activists. Police have also reported incidents of arson across multiple cities.
Eyewitnesses recounted an attack on the house of former councillor Md Shah Alam in Ashoktala, which was set ablaze by an “angry mob,” reported Dhaka Tribune.
Six people, including five teenagers, were killed in the fire, with their bodies recovered on Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Similarly, four people died when a mob set the house of Member of Parliament Shafiqul Islam Shimul of Natore-2 (Sadar and Naldanga) Constituency on fire. Their bodies were later found in various rooms and balconies of the house.
In Dhaka, parts of the central office of the Awami League in the Gulistan area were repeatedly set on fire, even as hundreds of people looted furniture, tiles, rods, and other items from the burning building.
The office was first set on fire shortly after Hasina’s resignation and was attacked again around 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday.
In Feni, local police found the bodies of two Juba League leaders, Mushfiqur Rahim and Badsha Mia, on Wednesday.
Across the country, Awami League leaders and minorities have become the main targets of the ongoing violence.
In a particularly devastating incident, 24 people were killed when a mob set fire to the Zabeer International Hotel in the Khulna Division. The hotel is owned by Shahin Chakladar, the General Secretary of the Jashore District Awami League.
“The bodies were lying on different floors,” said Mamun Mahmud, Deputy Director of Khulna Fire Service.
The fire was finally extinguished around 5.45 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
New Delhi, July 29 (ANI): Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi speaks in the house during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday. (ANI Photo/Sansad TV)
In response to Gandhi’s queries, the government said it was looking into all possible angles and it was an evolving situation…reports Asian Lite News
At the All-Party meeting held on Tuesday to address the unfolding situation in Bangladesh, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, expressed serious concerns about the recent developments in the country.
During the meeting, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar briefed the leaders on the current unrest in Bangladesh. After the briefing, Gandhi expressed his support for the measures taken by the Indian government, emphasising that these actions were in the national interest.
However, Gandhi also raised several apprehensions, particularly regarding potential foreign involvement in the situation. He questioned whether external forces, specifically China and Pakistan, might be playing a role in destabilizing Bangladesh, hinting at possible interference that could have far-reaching implications for regional stability.
In response to Gandhi’s queries, the government said it was looking into all possible angles and it was an evolving situation.
The government also provided an update on the safety of Indian nationals in Bangladesh, assuring the leaders that the situation is under control.
“Around 12,000 Indians are safe, and embassy officials are secure in Bangladesh,” the government informed. Additionally, it was noted that around 8,000 Indians have already returned to the country, with further measures being taken to ensure the safety of those still in Bangladesh.
Gandhi also drew attention to the plight of minorities in Bangladesh, citing reports of attacks on their properties. He stressed that the safety and status of minorities in the neighbouring country are of significant concern to India, given the deep cultural and historical ties between the two nations.
RJD members also raised the issue of the safety of minorities, and Indians and increasing adequate security at the border to avoid any untoward incident.
YSRCP member Vijaysai Reddy has expressed full support for the government, emphasising that it is in the best interest of the nation.
During the meeting leaders from various political parties engaged in a robust discussion on how to navigate the delicate situation in Bangladesh while safeguarding India’s national interests.
Several party members in attendance inquired about the whereabouts of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The government responded, stating, “Sheikh Hasina is in India, and the NSA (National Security Advisor) and his team are taking care of her,” according to sources.
Additionally, sources indicated that the government stressed the impact of the current political situation in Bangladesh on India-Bangladesh relations and trade, noting significant setbacks. In response to the ongoing unrest, the government has instructed all relevant authorities, including the Border Security Force (BSF) especially in West Bengal, to take necessary actions to address the situation.
Bangladesh is facing a fluid political situation after Sheikh Hasina resigned from her post in the wake of mounting protests. The protests, majorly led by students demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs, took the shape of anti-government protests.
In Dhaka, the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have proposed an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, in a bid to address Bangladesh’s ongoing challenges.
Sheikh Hasina arrived in India on Monday evening after tendering her resignation. It is not clear if Sheikh Hasina will continue to stay in Delhi or move to another location later. (ANI)
‘Estimated 19,000 Indian nationals in Bangladesh’
Amid political unrest in Bangladesh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Tuesday that there are an estimated 19,000 Indian nationals in the country, including about 9,000 students. He assured the nation that the government is maintaining close contact with the Indian community in Dhaka.
Jaishankar informed the Lok Sabha that the bulk of the students returned to India in July.
“We are 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 returned in July,” he said.
He also said that Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested approval from India to come at very short notice and she arrived on the evening of Monday.
“On August 5, demonstrators converged in Dhaka despite the curfew. Our understanding is that after a meeting with leaders of the security establishment, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apparently made the decision to resign. 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 evening in Delhi,” he said.
New Delhi, Aug 6 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo/SansadTV)
The External Affairs Minister also mentioned that the government is monitoring the situation with regard to the minorities living in Bangladesh.
Jaishankar noted that ties between India and Bangladesh are exceptionally close.
“Since the election in January 2024, there has been considerable tensions, deep divides and growing polarization in Bangladesh politics and “this underlying foundation aggravated a student agitation that started in June this year.”
“There was growing violence including attacks on public buildings and violence continued in July. We counselled restraint and urged the situation be resolved by dialogue, Jaishankar said in his statement in Rajya Sabha.
He said that the growing violence included attacks on public buildings and infrastructure, as well as traffic and rail obstructions.
“Throughout this period, we repeatedly counselled restraint and urged that the situation be defused through dialogue. Similar urgings were made to various political forces with whom we were in touch,” Jaishankar said.
Despite the Supreme Court judgement on July 21, there was no letup in protests, the Union minister said.
“Various decisions and actions taken thereafter only exacerbated the situation. The agitation at this stage coalesced around a one-point agenda, that is that the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should step down,” Jaishankar said.
On August 4 the situation in the neighbouring country turned serious, Jaishankar informed the Lok Sabha.
“Attacks on police, including police stations and government installations, intensified even as overall levels of violence greatly escalated. Properties of individuals associated with the regime were torched across the country. What was particularly worrying was that minorities, their businesses and temples also came under attack at multiple locations. The full extent of this is still not clear,” Jaishankar said.
The EAM informed the House that the situation in Bangladesh “is still evolving.”
“The Army Chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, addressed the nation on 5th August. He spoke about assuming responsibility and constituting an interim government,” the foreign minister said.
He said that in addition to the High Commission in Dhaka, India’s diplomatic presence in Bangladesh included the 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 stabilizes,” Jaishankar said.”
India had a $9.2 billion trade surplus with Bangladesh in FY24, with top exports including cotton, coffee, tea, vegetables, vehicles, and electrical machinery…reports Asian Lite News
The government is closely monitoring the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh, concerned about its potential impact on trade and economic stability.
Sheikh Hasina’s tenure saw a significant boost in trade relations between India and Bangladesh, with a notable trade surplus in India’s favour. Her exit could disrupt these gains, affecting the movement of goods and people and stalling a potential free trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations.
Bangladesh has been a crucial ally to India since Hasina came to power in 2009, helping to eliminate anti-India terrorist groups and fostering strong economic, social, and cultural ties. Their bilateral trade reached $13 billion in the financial year 2023-24, with Bangladesh being the top destination for India’s cotton exports and a significant importer of petroleum products and cereals. Conversely, India imports ready-made garments from Bangladesh, contributing $391 million to their trade.
The FTA discussions initiated in October 2023 aimed to reduce or eliminate customs duties on goods traded between the two countries, potentially boosting Bangladesh’s exports to India by up to 297% and India’s exports by 172%, as estimated by a World Bank working paper. However, the future of these discussions remains uncertain with the interim Bangladeshi government.
Mohit Singla, chairman of the Trade Promotion Council of India told the Economic Times: With the kharif harvest very near, agri export basket of over $1.8 billion could be impacted with soybean, soya bean meal, animal feed such as wheat residues, onion and rapeseed, being the worst hit.”
Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, added, “Internet disruptions have hurt banking transactions and commodity exporters are worried about exports to Bangladesh through the land border. The next 7-10 days will be crucial.”
Infrastructure and connectivity projects have been pivotal in strengthening Indo-Bangladesh ties. India has extended $8 billion in credit since 2016 for the development of road, rail, shipping, and port infrastructure in Bangladesh. The Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link and the Khulna-Mongla Port rail line, inaugurated in November 2023, are expected to enhance trade and people-to-people exchanges.
A disruption in these ties could restrict India’s access to the Northeast, currently connected through narrow land corridors. The existing bus routes and agreements for using Chittagong and Mongla ports also face potential risks.
India had a $9.2 billion trade surplus with Bangladesh in FY24, with top exports including cotton, coffee, tea, vegetables, vehicles, and electrical machinery. The ongoing unrest has already caused issues such as internet disruptions affecting banking transactions and difficulties in issuing letters of credit, causing concern among exporters, particularly those in Kolkata.
With a significant portion of exports to Bangladesh falling outside the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement and most imports from Bangladesh benefiting from zero tariffs, the current unrest poses a substantial risk to the trade dynamics between the two countries. The next few days will be critical in determining the extent of the impact on trade and economic stability in the region.
Experts term situation “very volatile”
As the situation in Bangladesh worsened following Hasina’s resignation amid heavy protests, several former diplomats and experts have raised concerns about the scenario and asked the Indian government to remain vigilant.
Several experts have cautioned about a huge influx of migrants from Bangladesh and have also raised suspicion of the involvement of a foreign hand behind the unrest in Bangladesh.
Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Veena Sikri has termed the current situation in Bangladesh as “very volatile” adding that India is carefully watching the scenario as it wants a stable neighbourhood.
Sikri said, “The situation in Bangladesh is very volatile today. PM Sheikh Hasina gave her resignation yesterday and she has left the country. She is currently in India and the situation is evolving. We have to watch carefully what is happening in Bangladesh. We in India, are watching it very carefully because we want a stable neighborhood. We want there to be stability, economic development, economic interaction with Bangladesh.”
She emphasized that although everyone thinks that the crisis unfolded due to the quota protests, but the fact is both Hasina and the students were on the same page on the issue.
“The world thinks that it was a quota reform movement, a student’s movement but the students and PM Hasina have for the longest time been on the same wavelength. It is PM Hasina who abolished the quota in 2018. This year, in the month of June, when the High Court restored the quota, she went to the Supreme Court, again in favour of the students and student groups even joined the government of Bangladesh in going to the Supreme Court,” Sikri said.
The former Indian envoy further elaborated how the student protests, turned into clashes between the student wings of Awami League and other opposition political parties, leading to complete “mayhem.”
Her stay in India is approved only temporarily, pending her relocation to Britain…reports Asian Lite News
The Indian government has granted former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina an interim stay following the collapse of her government in the South Asian country on Monday, media reports said. During this period, India will offer comprehensive logistical support as Hasina pursues asylum in the UK, Daily Sun reported.
Her stay in India is approved only temporarily, pending her relocation to Britain.
Hasina, who resigned on Monday following unprecedented anti-government protests, is on her way to London through India. As of now, there has been no confirmation from the UK government regarding the grant of political asylum for the former Bangladesh Prime Minister, Daily Sun reported.
Hasina is currently seeking asylum in the UK, with her sister Rehana, a UK citizen, accompanying her. Rehana, the younger daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the “Father of Bangladesh,” and Sheikh Fazilatun Necha Mujib, is also the younger sister of Sheikh Hasina. Her daughter, Tulip Siddiq, serves as a member of the British Parliament representing the Labour Party.
Meanwhile, Indian government sources said that New Delhi is closely following the fast-paced developments in Dhaka. In Dhaka, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman said Hasina has resigned and an interim government is taking over the responsibilities.
“I’m taking all responsibility (of the country). Please cooperate,” he said in a televised address. The Army Chief said he had met political leaders and told them the Army would take over responsibility for law and order.
