Bangladesh protests: In light of the deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh, the Border Security Force (BSF) has issued a 'high alert' across all its formations along the 4,096 km India-Bangladesh border. According to a senior BSF officer, the BSF Director General (acting) Daljit Singh Chawdhary and other senior officials have also arrived in Kolkata to oversee the situation.
The force has directed all its field commanders to be "on ground" and "deploy all personnel on border duty immediately," a senior officer told PTI. The leaves of all personnel posted along the Bangladesh border were cancelled in the last few weeks after Bangladesh witnessed massive protests. Now, all units have been asked to "acquire an all-alert posture," he said.
The BSF guards the Indian front on the eastern flank of the country that runs along five states. West Bengal shares a total of 2,217 kilometres of border with Bangladesh, along with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km) and Mizoram (318 km).
As per the senior BSF officer, the BSF is 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 India-Bangladesh border.
PM Sheikh Hasina resigns and leaves Bangladesh
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today resigned and left the country, several news reports said amid massive protests against her government that claimed more than 106 lives in the last two days. Army Chief Waker uz Zaman announced that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned, and an interim government is set to take over.
As per the sources, Hasina has landed in Agartala in India.However, the Ministry of External Affairs or local officials in Agartala refused to confirm the report. Tripura Home Secretary P.K. Chakravarty told PTI "We have no such information."
Sheikh Hasina submitted her resignation letter to President Shahabuddin Ahmed at 12:00 noon. Millions of people have already started a victory march in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh Dhaka airport has been sealed so that no minister can escape.
"Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina departed from Bangabhaban at around 2:30pm on Monday on a military helicopter, accompanied by her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana for a "safer place", local media reported.
Bangladesh protest
The clashes broke out Sunday morning when protesters attending the non-cooperation programme under the banner of the Students Against Discrimination with the one-point demand of Hasina's resignation over a job quota system faced opposition from the supporters of the ruling Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League activists.
At least 101 people, including 14 policemen, were killed in clashes on Sunday, leading Bengali-language newspaper Prothom Alo reported. The violence forced authorities to cut off mobile internet and enforce a nationwide curfew for an indefinite period.
At least six people were killed during clashes between police and protesters in Jatrabari and Dhaka Medical College areas, The Daily Star newspaper said.
Some students from various educational institutions gathered at Dhaka Central Shaheed Minar before and after 10 am to participate in the 'March to Dhaka' programme, prompting the police to fire tear gas shells to disperse them.
