External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Parliament on Tuesday that India has been “in regular contact with authorities in Dhaka” as well as with the Indian community in Bangladesh amidst ongoing violence and political developments in the neighboring country.
“Throughout July, as violence persisted in Bangladesh, we repeatedly urged restraint and encouraged resolution through dialogue. We conveyed similar advice to various political factions with whom we were in communication,” Jaishankar stated.
He also emphasized that India remains in “close and continuous contact” with the Indian community in Bangladesh through its diplomatic missions. “We expect the host government to ensure the necessary security protection for our establishments in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Khulna. Over the last 24 hours, we have maintained regular communication with authorities in Dhaka,” the minister added.
Jaishankar’s statement follows the resignation of Sheikh Hasina as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister amid escalating violence and protests demanding her ouster.
Bangladesh has been gripped by nationwide protests since June over a controversial job quota bill that reserved positions for families of veterans from the 1971 liberation war. The protests escalated into violence last month.
On July 21, the Supreme Court ruled to reduce the reservation for veterans’ families in government jobs from 30% to 5%. However, the verdict did little to ease the unrest, as protesters continued to demand Hasina’s resignation.
Facing mounting pressure, Hasina stepped down as Prime Minister on Monday and fled to India, where she is expected to seek asylum in the United Kingdom.
On Monday, Jaishankar informed Parliament, “Our understanding is that after a meeting with security leaders, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina decided to resign. She sought permission to come to India on very short notice and arrived in Delhi yesterday evening.”
Sheikh Hasina, 76, had ruled Bangladesh for 15 years with a firm hand. The protests that led to her resignation began as opposition to the job quota scheme but soon evolved into a broader movement calling for her removal from power.
Bangladesh’s army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, announced on state television Monday afternoon that Prime Minister Hasina had resigned, and the military would form an interim government.
