Hasina Sought to Come at Short Notice: S Jaishankar

New Delhi, 6 August 2024 (TDI): Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a request to come to India “at very short notice”, the Indian foreign minister told parliament.

Hasina fled from Bangladesh to India on Monday evening after violent protests toppled her government.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar did not mention how long she would stay in India or what her next steps would be.

In his first official comments since the crisis peaked in Bangladesh, Jaishankar said India had been in regular contact with authorities in Dhaka over the past twenty-four hours.

Hasina resigned on Monday after weeks of deadly anti-government demonstrations. The country’s army chief has promised that an interim government will be established and new elections will be announced.

India shares a 4,096 km-border with Bangladesh and has close economic and cultural relations with the country.

There are worries that prolonged tensions in Bangladesh could spill over into India, which is seen as having supported Hasina through her fifteen-year-long tenure despite her clamping down on dissent and imprisoning opposition leaders.

On Monday, India deployed additional forces along its border with Bangladesh.

#WATCH | Speaking in Rajya Sabha on the situation in Bangladesh, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says, “…We are in close and continuous touch with the Indian community in Bangladesh through our diplomatic missions. There are an estimated 19,000 Indian nationals there… pic.twitter.com/SJSv1hkQ1f

— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2024

Jaishankar said the situation there was “still evolving” and that the government was in close touch with the Indian community through its diplomatic missions.

The minister said there are 19,000 Indians, including nine thousand students, in Bangladesh and added that most of the students had returned to India last month.

The minister said India was monitoring the situation regarding the status of minorities in the country.

He said that there are reports of initiatives by different groups and organizations to ensure their protection and well-being.

We welcome that but will naturally remain deeply concerned till law and order is restored.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar briefed opposition parties on India’s response to the developments in Bangladesh. PM Narendra Modi also held a meeting on Monday to review the situation.

Five Indian states share a border with Bangladesh. According to government data from last November, nearly 915.35km of the border is not fenced.