Bangladesh protests: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Monday met former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after the later landed at the Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad. According to sources, the meeting took place as Hasina’s aircraft made a scheduled refuelling stop at the air base. It is not clear if the Bangladeshi Prime Minister will stay in Delhi or move to another location. Reports in media outlets of Bangladesh have speculated that Sheikh Hasina may proceed to London.. She landed at the Hindon Air Base near New Delhi in a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft on Monday evening. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force has put its personnel on alert in every eastern sector in view of the present developments.
Security tightened outside Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi
Notably, the Indian Air Force and other security agencies are providing security to her and she is being moved to a safe location, according to the sources. The security has heightened outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi after PM Sheikh Hasina reached India after leaving Dhaka amid the ongoing protests. Moreover, a senior BSF officer said that they are constantly in touch with Border Guard Bangladesh over the current situation. "As of now, the situation is normal at the border. Due to the curfew in Bangladesh, there are restrictions on traffic movement at Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) along the India-Bangladesh border," a senior BSF officer said.
Jaishankar briefs PM Modi on Bangladesh situation
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also briefed PM Modi on Monday evening about the current political situation in Bangladesh after Hasina reached India. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Parliament House on Monday and discussed the development in Bangladesh. "Gandhi met Jaishankar on the sidelines in the Lok Sabha, Parliament House complex, and discussed the recent developments in Bangladesh," a Congress source told news agency PTI.
Bangladesh protests
It should be noted here that the protests began peacefully as frustrated students demanded an end to a quota system for government jobs, but the demonstrations have since morphed into an unprecedented challenge and uprising against Hasina and her ruling Awami League party. The government attempted to quell the violence with force, leaving nearly 300 people dead and fueling further outrage and calls for Hasina to step down. At least 11,000 people have been arrested in recent weeks. The unrest has also resulted in the closure of schools and universities across the country, and authorities at one point imposed a shoot-on-sight curfew.
(With inputs from agencies)
