Bangladesh protests HIGHLIGHTS: Muhammad Yunus says ready to head interim govt

A number of Hindu temples, households and businesses were vandalised, women assaulted and at least two Hindu leaders affiliated with the Awami League party killed in violence in Bangladesh following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, community leaders claimed on Tuesday.

China on Tuesday reacted guardedly to the unfolding crisis in Bangladesh leading to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster, saying it is "closely" following the situation in the violence-hit country. "China is closely following the developments in Bangladesh," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in response to media queries. "As a friendly neighbour and comprehensive strategic cooperative partner of Bangladesh, China sincerely hopes that social stability will be restored soon in the country,” the ministry said.

Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev on Tuesday condemned the targeted attacks on temples, houses and commercial establishments of the Hindus in Bangladesh and asked the Centre to do all it can politically and diplomatically to protect the Hindu minority in the neighbouring country.

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved Parliament on Tuesday paving the way for fresh elections and an interim government was taking shape, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina abruptly resigned and fled the country following weeks of violent anti-government protests. As the army took charge on Monday and the death toll in the violence in which temples were also attacked rose to 440, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement that spearheaded the massive protests said 84-year-old Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus has agreed to head the interim government.

The Left Front in West Bengal on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the developments in turmoil-hit Bangladesh. It expressed regret at the death of several hundred people in violent protests in the neighbouring nation.

"I’m troubled by the reports of atrocities against minorities, including Hindus, and against their temples in Bangaladesh," Naor Gilo tweeted.

A 13-member team from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement went to Bangabhaban to discuss Bangladesh's current situation and the outline of the interim government. They went to Bangabhaban at 6pm on Tuesday to call on the president and the chiefs of the three armed forces, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Harunor Rashid, additional commissioner (crime and operations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), has said he is still in Bangladesh and has not been detained, Dhaka Tribune reported.

A Dhaka court has granted bail to over 1,000 BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists including BNP Standing Committee member and former minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in the case of sabotage in the name of quota reform movement. The bail application was made in the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Tuesday. After the hearing, the judge granted them bail, Dhaka Tribune reported.

India has reportedly made contact with Bangladesh's military leadership, led by Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman, and requested that peace, law and order, and normalcy be restored as soon as possible in the country, as per reports.

Major General Ziaul Ahsan, who was seen close to ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, has been relieved from service, while 7 senior army officers have been transferred.

Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, was detained in Dhaka while attempting to flee to New Delhi, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Sources told INDIA TV that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will remain in New Delhi and she has no immediate plans to travel to the United Kingdom. The Indian government has promised to support her for as long as she wanted to remain here.

"Air India will operate its evening flights AI237/238 on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi sector on 6 August 2024. In addition, due to the prevailing situation in Dhaka, Air India is offering a one-time waiver on rescheduling to customers, with confirmed bookings on any Air India flight to and from Dhaka between 4th and 7th August 2024, if they desire to do so," the airline said on X.

Amid ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, Iran's Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi told news agency ANI that whatever has happened in the country has raised Tehran's concerns about the lives of the people, as it shares traditional relations with Bangladesh.

The US Department of State updated its travel advisory to Bangladesh to Level 4: Do Not Travel due to "civil unrest, crime and terrorism". The Department had ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members.

"Travelers should not travel to Bangladesh due to ongoing civil unrest in Dhaka. Violent clashes have occurred in the city of Dhaka, its neighbouring areas, and throughout Bangladesh, and the Bangladeshi Army is deployed nationwide. Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport temporarily paused operations on August 5," said the US State Department.

A statement from President Mohammed Shahabuddin's office said that Hasina's arch rival, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister, had been freed from house arrest.

Attendance at various government offices in Dhaka on Tuesday remained low amid growing fear and anxiety after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, local media reports said.

At least 24 people, including an Indonesian national, were burnt alive by a mob in Bangladesh at a starred hotel owned by a leader of Awami League party after its leader Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country, local journalists and hospital sources said on Tuesday.

The death toll in the anti-government protests in Bangladesh on Tuesday climbed to 440, with 100 more deaths reported after Sheikh Hasina fled the country, according to local media, even as efforts were on by the army to bring the situation under control in the violence-hit nation.

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Tuesday dissolved the parliament, a day after prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country following massive protests against her government.

Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing today expressed concern over attacks on religious places in Bangladesh and sought the security of Sikh religious places located in Dhaka and Hindu temples in the country.

Writing an official letter to External Affairs Minister, Ravneet Bittu urged External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to raise the issue of security of two historic Sikh religious places Gurdwara Nanak Shahi and Gurdwara Sangat Tola located in Dhaka with Army authorities in Bangladesh. He said Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib had visited Dhaka and these gurdwaras were built in their memory.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is addressing the Rajya Sabha over the developments in Bangladesh.

The Eastern Railway said services of the Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express will remain cancelled on Wednesday due to the ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh. The neighbouring country plunged into uncertainty after protests led to the resignation of the country's prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Monday.

Citing a message from Bangladesh Railways, the ER said on Tuesday the services of Maitree Express, which has not been operational since July 19, will not resume services on Wednesday.

The United States on Tuesday recommended its citizens not to travel to Bangladesh, witnessing civil unrest, crime, and terrorism following the resignation and fleeing of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Elevating its travel advisory to the highest ‘Level 4: Do Not Travel’ category, the US State Department has also recommended the departure of non-emergency US government employees and family members.

The Bangladesh AIr Force aircraft C-130J, which took off from the Hindon air base on the Monday morning at around 9 am has landed in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina was not on the plane.

Normal life resumes in Bangladesh. All banks, govt and private offices reopen. Lower courts resume work. High Courts will resume work from tomorrow  Agitating student leaders have demanded that Nobel Prize winner economist Dr Muhammad Yunus be made the principal adviser while forming any interim govt 

Khaleda Zia's eldest son, Tariquse Rahman, who is presently living in exile in Britain, is returning to Bangladesh, once flights resume. He is the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, says the BNP general secretary.

Two Mercedes cars with Ashoka insignia have entered Hindon station along with Ghaziabad police. It is not clear which officers have arrived yet.

Sheikh Hasina is not on board the C-130 J transport aircraft that took off today from the Hindon air base around 9 AM. The Bangladesh Air Force C-130J transport aircraft is flying with 7 military personnel in it towards its base in Bangladesh: Sources 

Amid the political uncertainty and anarchy-like situation in neighbouring Bangladesh, four Hindu temples have been vandalised by miscreants.

EAM Jasihankar briefed the all-party meeting on the turmoil in Bangladesh. Here are some key points from the meeting: 

• 8000 students have returned to India
• There are about 13000 Indians in Bangladesh
• No decision has been taken about Sheikh Hasina yet
• Govt keeping a close watch, and will inform the opposition about all situations
• The opposition was satisfied with the steps taken by the government

The C-130J transport of the Bangladesh Air Force took off from the Hindon air base at around 9 AM on Tuesday morning and is moving towards its next destination. Indian security agencies are monitoring it closely: Reports.

At least eight people were killed and 84 others were wounded on Monday after unidentified arsonists set fire to a residential hotel in Bangladesh's Jessore, Dhaka Tribune reported. Shahin Chakladar, general secretary of Jashore district Awami League, owned the hotel targeted by arsonists. Deputy Commissioner Abrarul Islam confirmed the news of the arson attack.

With police firings, mob beatings, and arson across the country, at least 135 people were killed in Bangladesh on Monday during unrest, according to Dhaka Tribune. The country announced on Monday that the clashes between demonstrators and members of the Awami League claimed the lives of at least 96 people in police firings.

Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus will be the chief adviser to the interim government in Bangladesh, the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced on Tuesday.

In a video posted on social media early Tuesday morning, Nahid Islam, one of the key coordinators of the movement, said that Prof Yunus has agreed to take on this crucial responsibility at the call of the student community to save the country, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

The Modi government has called an all-party meeting regarding the situation in neighbouring Bangladesh. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, EAM Jaishankar and parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju will represent govt in the meeting. EAM Jaishankar will brief the meeting.

Miscreants attacked, vandalised and set fire to at least six police stations in Chittagong, looting weapons, bullets and various equipment. In addition, Awami League leaders and activists' homes and officers were targeted, Dhaka Tribune reported. 

After the report of Sheikh Hasina's resignation, agitated crowds have taken to the streets in celebration. Later, police stations in Chandgaon, Patenga, EPZ, Kotowali, Akbar Shah, and Pahartali under the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) were attacked, vandalised, and set on fire.

The Bangladeshi parliament is set to be dissolved today - a day after Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country and the military took control amid massive protests.

Leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have proposed an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, in a bid to address Bangladesh's ongoing challenge, Dhaka Tribune reported. This announcement was made in a video message released early hours of Tuesday by key student leaders Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Bakar Mazumdar.

The Biden Administration has said an interim government in Bangladesh, which has descended into chaos after the sudden resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid violent anti-quota protests, should be formed according to democratic principles, rule of law and the will of the Bangladeshi people.

"We want to see the Bangladeshi people decide the future of the Bangladeshi government," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference.

Bangladesh Army has provided a list of numbers to call for #Hindu minority families or mandirs (Temples) and this applies to other Minorities as well, in case they are under violent attack or in any sort of danger all over Bangladesh:

Dinajpur
Lt Col Raushanul Islam
01769682454

Mymensingh
Capt Faisal
01769208174 

Sirajganj

Capt Shudipto
01769510524

Rampura

CO- Lt Col Rehgir Al Shahid,
01769053150 

Rangpur

Capt Ashraf
01615332446

Rangpur

Capt Maariz
01745207469

Kishoreganj (Bhairab)

01769202354 

Capt Raihan

Adjt: 01769202366

Jessore

Capt Sabbir
01886-910514 

Rajbari

Capt Enam
01795-615950 

Dhaka (Jatrabari)

Capt Hemel, 01766162077

Uttara , Airport, Diabari

CO: 01769024280
Adjt: 01769024284
Capt Sazzad (Parvez):01769510457

Cox’s Bazar

Capt Muztahid: 01769119988 

Thakurgaon

Lt Faiz -01769510866
Capt Mohtashim -01769009855

Mirpur Area

Capt Mahomud : 01833585736
01769024256
Adjt: 01769024254 

For Dhaka

1. Capt Saikat: 017 6951 0515 (Mohammadpur)

2. Capt Ridnan Saleh: +880 16 4196 8237 (Mohammadpur)

3. ⁠Capt Ashik: +880 17 3899 8458 (Segunbagicha)

4. ⁠Capt Abrar: +880 17 4156 9832 (Uttara)

5. ⁠Capt Atahar Ishtiaq: +880 17 6951 1144 (Mirpur)

6. ⁠Capt Zarraf: 01708375371 (Stadium, Polton)

7. ⁠Capt Nasif: +880 17 6951 0803 (Baridhara)

8. Lt Imrul 81: +880 17 0526 0019 (Agargaon)

9. Adjt 21 Engrs Bn: 01769013094 (Gulshan/Banani)

10. Capt Shihab: 017 6604 7323 (Motijheel, Bangladesh Bank KPI)

The United Nations is following the situation in Bangladesh "very closely" and calls for calm and restraint in the wake of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation and escape from the country, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday.

Farhan Haq, the UN Deputy Spokesperson, told the daily briefing that the UN is following the situation in the South Asian country "very closely". "We continue to call for calm and restraint and to urge all parties to respect the right to peaceful assembly and expression," Haq said, adding that the UN urges security forces to protect those out on the streets of Dhaka and other cities of Bangladesh.

UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy expressed concern regarding the Bangladesh situation and stated that everyone needs to work together to end this violence. Further, he also urged for a full and independent investigation, led by the United Nations, into the recent events in Bangladesh.