Bangladesh turmoil: The government on Tuesday called an all-party meeting about the Bangladesh issue. The meeting will be held at Parliament House at around 10 am. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to brief various party leaders on the developments in the neighbouring country.
In the all-party meeting, the government informed that the situation in Bangladesh is not so dire that there is a need to evacuate Indians who are 13,000 in number. Jaishankar also mentioned that the Modi-led government is keeping an eye on the situation. Notably, 8000 students have returned.
Jaishankar briefed the leaders on how the issue had panned out in Bangladesh and the prevailing situation in the country. He also spoke about how Bangladesh former PM Sheikh Hasina had moved to India and how India would take care of the Bangladeshi leader. Jaishankar said that Sheikh Hasina is in India and the Indian government wants to give her time to let the Indian government know what her future course of action would be.
During the meeting, Jaishankar told the leaders that the central government was in touch with the Bangladesh Army as well. He said that it is a prevailing situation and the government will take appropriate action at the right time, according to sources. According to sources, so far 8000 Indian nationals have come back. Jaishankar informed the meeting that the Indian government is in touch with Indian nationals and the High Commission there continues to operate.
The neighbouring country has plunged into uncertainty after extraordinary street protest over job quota forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to quit and flee. She has arrived in India on her way to London, diplomatic sources said.
The all-party meeting was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and LoP Rahul Gandhi among others. After the meeting, Jaishankar appreciated the support from all MPs.
Hasina lands at the Hindon airbase
Jaishankar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina landed at the Hindon airbase near Ghaziabad on her way to London amid turmoil in her country. Jaishankar is believed to have briefed Modi about the evolving situation in the neighbouring country but there was no official word on the meeting. Hasina, who resigned earlier in the day as Bangladesh prime minister following massive anti-government protests, arrived in India in a C-130J military transport aircraft of the Bangladesh Air Force.
