Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, is currently staying in a secret shelter in the Indian capital of New Delhi, as the Narendra Modi Administration has given her time to decide about her future. Indian Minister of External …
Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, is currently staying in a secret shelter in the Indian capital of New Delhi, as the Narendra Modi Administration has given her time to decide about her future.
Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar confirmed the news on August 5 (2024) evening during an All-Party Meeting on the current political situation in the neighbouring country. Reports suggest that Prime Minister Modi, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and others attended the meeting. Dr Jaishankar also held separate meetings with Prime Minister Modi and Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi hours after Hasina's arrival at Hindon Indian Air Force base in Ghaziabad where she was received by Ajit Doval, the National Security Adviser (NSA) of India.
The External Affairs Minister told the All-Party Meeting that Hasina was mentally disturbed and she needed time to think about her future moves. He stressed that the Government of India started monitoring the situation of Indian citizens living in Bangladesh. Although Indians are not being evacuated from Bangladesh on an urgent basis, New Delhi shall take prompt action whenever necessary. According to Dr Jaishankar, New Delhi is in constant touch with the Bangladeshi Army as the developments in the next few days shall be crucial.
As far as India's diplomatic stand on the current political crisis in Bangladesh is concerned, the Minister of External Affairs stated that the Modi Administration would take the next step after knowing Hasina's future plans. Meanwhile, he claimed that the India-Bangladesh border situation was not that serious, assuring all the major political outfits that India would do its best to ensure peace and stability in the neighbouring country. He said: "We are keeping an eye on the situation that has developed in Bangladesh. When the right time comes, the Government of India will take the right steps."
Soon after Hasina's departure from Dhaka in a special aircraft of the Bangladeshi Army, Army Chief of Bangladesh Waker-Uz-Zaman, once a close aide of Hasina, announced that the Awami League leader resigned as Prime Minister and Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus agreed to serve as the Chief Adviser of an Interim Government at the call of the student community to save the country. He told the press: "We took 24 hours to announce a framework for the Interim Government. However, considering the emergency situation, we are announcing it now. We have decided that the Interim Government would be formed in which internationally renowned Nobel Laureate Dr Mohammad Yunus, who has wide acceptability, would be the Chief Adviser." However, Hasina is yet to confirm whether she resigned as Prime Minister or was forced to leave her country.
According to sources close to the External Affairs Ministry, Hasina spent her first night in India at the Hindon Air Force base. The flight in which Hasina arrived in New Delhi returned to Dhaka at around 9am (local time) on August 6 (2024). ANI reported that although the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh wanted to go to London, the UK refused to give her asylum. She has yet to decide where she will go now. The Indian media hinted that Hasina might take political asylum in Finland or any other Scandinavian country.
Soon after Hasina left her country, protesters vandalised her official residence Gana Bhavan, the Parliament building, various offices of her Awami League Party and the India-Bangladesh Cultural Centre in Dhaka. They also destroyed statues of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, considered as the Father of Nation in Bangladesh, with bulldozers!
It is feared that the trend of taking refuge in India may increase among the citizens of Bangladesh (especially the minority Hindu community) in an atmosphere of unrest! Leaders and activists of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League Party may also seek refuge in India! Political analysts believe that the current political crisis in neighbouring Bangladesh has put India under tremendous diplomatic pressure.
WB Releases Aid Amidst Political Unrest (Talk Diplomacy) The World Bank (WB) is currently assessing how recent developments in Bangladesh, including the resignation and departure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will affect its loan programme. Her resignation occurred after a violent crackdown on protests, which initially focused on job quotas, but evolved into a broader movement, calling for her removal. The unrest resulted in hundreds of deaths, prompting international concern.
In a statement, a WB spokesperson expressed sorrow over the violence and loss of life, emphasising the institution's hope for a swift and peaceful resolution. The spokesperson confirmed that the global lender is closely monitoring the situation's effects on its ongoing and future projects in Bangladesh, reiterating their commitment to supporting the country's development goals.
In June (2024), the WB's board approved two significant projects for Bangladesh, totalling USD 900 million. These projects aim to strengthen the country's fiscal and financial sector policies, and enhance urban infrastructure to promote sustainable and climate-resilient growth. This support is part of a long-standing relationship between the WB and Bangladesh, which dates back to the South Asian country's Independence in 1971. Over the years, the WB has committed approximately USD 41 billion in grants and interest-free credits to aid Bangladesh, a nation frequently challenged by natural disasters.
For the 2023-24 Fiscal Year that ended on June 30 (2024), the WB Group had total commitments in Bangladesh amounting to USD 2.85 billion. Despite the current turmoil, the WB remains dedicated to aiding Bangladesh's development and addressing its ongoing challenges, maintaining a focus on long-term growth and resilience.
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