Washington: In a dramatic step, the United States has revoked former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visa after she fled her country after a chaotic ouster amid violent protests, as per sources close to the US Department of State. Hasina left Bangladesh on Monday afternoon and is currently residing in India, from where she is expected to go to the UK.
Hasina’s travel plans have hit a roadblock due to certain “uncertainties” and she is unlikely to move out of India for the next couple of days, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Hasina arrived in India’s Hindon airbase with her sister Sheikh Rehana yesterday evening, hours after stepping down as the prime minister following massive violent protests, and was shifted to an unspecified location that has been put under tight security, they added.
She was initially set to travel to London from New Delhi, but is now contemplating other options after the British government indicated that she may not get legal protection in the UK against any possible investigation, they said. However, Sheikh Rehana holds UK citizenship, but it's not confirmed whether Hasina will accompany her It is also not clear whether Hasina had any plans for the US, although her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy lives in Virginia.
Hasina's troubled relations with US
“Visa records are confidential under US law; therefore, we do not discuss the details of individual visa cases,” a spokesperson at the US Embassy in Dhaka told reporters on Tuesday following multiple queries, according to the United News of Bangladesh. However, visa restrictions have been imposed on several members of Hasina's party members and officials.
It is important to mention that the United States has had a troubled relationship with Hasina for years, deeming that the elections held in January were not free and fair, while citing vote irregularities and violence. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged establishing a balanced interim government in Bangladesh that could set up swift democratic elections. "PM Hasina's violent reaction to legitimate protests made her continued rule untenable," he said.
Washington in recent weeks had urged the Bangladeshi government to uphold the right of peaceful protest while also advising Americans to not travel to the Asian nation, citing "civil unrest." Several people have claimed US involvement in Hasina's ouster after she claimed she was offered a hassle-free election in the January election if she allowed a "certain country" to build an airbase inside the country.
Hasina's future
Meanwhile, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy has said that she will not make a political comeback as she is "deeply disappointed" by the uprising against her despite her efforts for the betterment of Bangladesh. In an interview with BBC, he said Hasina had been contemplating resignation since Sunday and had left the country following pressure from her family.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in an address to Rajya Sabha that Hasina requested approval to come to India at a short notice. "We simultaneously received a request for flight clearance from Bangladesh authorities. She arrived yesterday evening in Delhi. The situation in Bangladesh is still evolving," he said.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar during an all-party meeting in Parliament briefed the leaders about the ongoing developments in Bangladesh. Jaishankar briefed the leaders on how the issue had panned out in Bangladesh and the prevailing situation in the country. He said Sheikh Hasina is in India and the Indian government wants to give her time to let her decide what her future course of action would be.
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