Leader of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina flees country

[Vijay]

Sheikh Hasina, who resigned as Bangladesh Prime Minister following massive anti-government protests, landed at Hindon Air Base near Delhi in a C-130 transport aircraft on Monday.

Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval Monday evening after  landing at the Hindon Air Force base in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad - around 30 km from Delhi.

Hours earlier the 76-year-old five-time Prime Minister had been forced to resign from her position after more than 300 people died in violent protests over a quota for government jobs in that country.

Sheikh Hasina is expected to leave for London later, sources told NDTV, where she may seek political asylum. Sources told news agency ANI Sheikh Hasina's plane - a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 military transport - will be parked near the Indian Air Force's C-17 and C-130J Super Hercules aircraft hangars.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed on the situation in Bangladesh by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. There is no word yet if Mr Modi will meet Mrs Hasina.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has also spoken to Mr Jaishankar. The two spoke briefly on the sidelines of the Parliament, his party said. 

India's Border Security Force is on high alert across the country's 4,096 km border with Bangladesh, with field commanders ordered to take "on ground" positions and be prepared for anything. Indian Railways has stopped all trains to Bangladesh and Air India has cancelled its two daily flights to Dhaka.

IndiGo has suspended all flights for the next 30 hours; "In view of the situation in Dhaka, all flights scheduled for tomorrow have been cancelled. We understand this may cause significant inconvenience and disruption to your travel plans, and we sincerely regret this development," the airline said.

Vistara, which operates flights from Mumbai, has said it is monitoring the situation but the Tata Sons-owned airline has not announced any cancellations as yet.

Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport had closed its operations for six hours, local media said.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Army, which gave Sheikh Hasina 45 minutes to resign after her government couldn't control the violence, has taken control. In a televised address Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said the military will form an "interim government" and told protesters to stand down.

"There is a crisis. I have met Opposition leaders and we have decided to form an interim government to run this country. I take all responsibility and promise to protect your life and property. Your demands will be fulfilled. Please stop the violence," the Army chief said.

Local media estimated as many as 400,000 protesters were on the streets but it was impossible to verify the figure. Soldiers and police with armoured vehicles had barricaded routes to Ms Hasina's office with barbed wire, AFP reporters said, but vast crowds flooded the streets, tearing down barriers. But by then the veteran politician had fled.

100 people were killed and over 1,000 injured in clashes that took place between police and protesters on Sunday alone. Since then the number of dead has crossed 300.

The protests began late last month over a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for family members of veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 war against Pakistan.

Since then they have escalated dramatically, particularly over the past few days, resulting in pitched battles between students, police, and counter-protesters. Shocking scenes have emerged of vehicles and buildings on fire and mobs rampaging through the streets.

The protests died down, briefly, after the Bangladesh Supreme Court cut the reservations to 5 per cent. But it flared back up after student leaders said the government had ignored some of their demands. This triggered demands for Sheikh Hasina to quit.

Sheikh Hasina lands in Delhi, security tightened as India watches closely | WION

 

[Vijay]

Sheikh Hasina To Stay Put In India Till She Gets Asylum In UK | Bangladesh Unrest

 

[Vijay]

Hasina denied asylum in India

Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was denied asylum in India, according to ABP Live, an Indian news site.

She is likely headed to Europe, the channel said quoting sources.

Earlier, broadcaster CNN-News18 reported that the former prime minister landed in India's northeastern city of Agartala today after fleeing Dhaka.

Sheikh Hasina has resigned and left the country in the face of overwhelming protests.

Hasina's resignation comes following around three weeks of violence that had its origins in the students' demand for reform to the quota system in public service jobs.

Between July 16 and today, nearly 300 people (as far as this newspaper could confirm) have been killed in violent clashes.

On July 23, the government through a circular reformed the quota system as per the demand of the students, but by then nearly 200 died in clashes.

The protesters demanded the resignation of Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet on August 3, holding her government responsible for the deaths.

The following day (yesterday) was the deadliest since the clashes began as at least 93people, including 14 policemen, were killed.

Nine more people were killed in clashes today.

Hasina was serving her fourth straight term in office since assuming power in 2009, and fifth overall.

[Vijay]

Bangladesh Crisis: Will Sheikh Hasina Seek Refuge In India? A Look At Leaders Who Sought Asylum In Country

Sheikh Hasina spent six years in exile, residing in Delhi's Pandara Road with her children until 1981 following the 1975 massacre of her family in Bangladesh. (PTI File Photo)

After fleeing Dhaka amidst the student protest, Sheikh Hasina has landed in Agartala. Reports suggest that Bangladesh’s ex-PM could be seeking refuge in India.

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Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday as per the Bangladesh High Commission officials in Delhi, and has landed in Agartala, according to sources. She is likely to take a commercial flight to London, the sources added.

In a televised address to the nation, Bangladesh Army chief Waker-uz-Zaman said the military will form the interim government with the help of political leaders.

Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, fled the country amidst the violent protest march by students to Dhaka in defiance of the nationwide curfew imposed today, as per local dailies.

Nearly 300 people have been killed in the violent clashes on Sunday, according to news agency AFP, but no official statement on the casualties have been released so far.

Hasina has resigned following weeks of protests over job quota reforms, Bangladesh High Commission officials told Reuters in Delhi. According to Daily Star, Hasina left her official residence, Gono Bhaban, in Dhaka on Monday for a “safer place”.

Reports suggest that Hasina could be seeking asylum in India. Let us first understand what is an asylum and who can seek it.

WHAT IS AN ASYLUM?

United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) defines asylum as a form of protection given to people who flee their country because of the fear of being persecuted. Persecution can be harm or threats of harm to individuals. A person can also obtain asylum if he or she has suffered persecution in his or her country in the past.

WHO ARE ASYLUM SEEKERS?

They could also be called migrants or refugees. As per the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is, “A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.”

A migrant is someone who has moved to another country for other reasons, such as to find work.

HOW MANY ASYLUM SEEKERS IN WORLD?

At the end of 2021 around 89.3 million people were forcibly displaced across the world. Of these, 27.1 million were refugees, while 53.2 million were internally displaced within their country of origin.

As per refugeecouncil.org.uk, 72% of the world’s refugees are living in countries neighbouring their country of origin, often in developing countries.

In 2021, more than two-thirds of the refugees across the world came from just five countries: Syria (6.8 million), Venezuela (4.6 million), Afghanistan (2.7 million), South Sudan (2.4 million) and Myanmar (1.2 million).

WHO CAN SEEK ASYLUM?

Under international law, anyone has the right to apply for asylum in any country that has signed the 1951 Convention and to remain there until the authorities have assessed their claim.

It is recognised in the 1951 Convention that people fleeing persecution may have to use irregular means in order to escape and claim asylum in another country. The 1951 Refugee Convention guarantees everybody the right to apply for asylum. It has saved millions of lives. No country has ever withdrawn from it.

HOW MANY SOUGHT REFUGE IN INDIA?

By 2022-end, India had about 4,05,000 refugees, which includes 2,13,578 refugees recognised/ registered by the government and housed in various camps; about 31,313 refugees belonging to minority communities from neighbouring countries who had been given long-term visas on the basis of their claims of religious persecution; and about 1,60,085 unregistered refugees.

HAS INDIA PROVIDED ASYLUM TO ANY LEADER?

Yes. India granted asylum to the Dalai Lama on March 30, 1959 under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. On April 4, 1959 Nehru publicly stated that India’s policy was governed by three factors: the preservation of the security and integrity of India; India’s desire to maintain friendly relations with the People’s Republic of China; and India’s deep sympathy for the people of Tibet.

India has earlier provided asylum to Sheikh Hasina. She spent six years of her life in exile, residing in Delhi’s Pandara Road with her children under an assumed identity until 1981. It was following the 1975 massacre of her family, in which her father — legendary statesman Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman — was assassinated. As many as 18 members of her family, including her uncle and 10-year-old younger brother, were killed on August 15, 1975, by senior Army officers that saw Bangladesh’s descent to massive political turmoil and resulted in a military establishment running the country for many years.

Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed had refuge in the Indian High Commission in Male in 2013, where he went immediately after issuance of an arrest warrant against him by a Maldivian court.

Former Vice President of Maldives Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor also sought political asylum in India. He was arrested by Maldives police in 2019 after the Indian authorities sent him back to the island nation. Ghafoor arrived in a cargo vessel in Tamil Nadu along with nine crew members. He was not allowed to disembark from the ship and was questioned on-board by various central agencies.

FAMOUS PERSONALITIES WHO SOUGHT ASYLUM IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

Iceland offered asylum to former chess champion Bobby Fischer who was held in Japan while fighting extradition to the US. A native of New York City was wanted for violating international sanctions in 1992 for playing a chess match in Yugoslavia. A chess prodigy, he won his first of a record eight US Championships at the age of 14.

Russia granted US whistleblower Edward Snowden permanent residency rights in 2020. Snowden, 37, fled the US and was given asylum in Russia after leaking secret files in 2013 that revealed vast domestic and international surveillance operations carried out by the US National Security Agency where he was a contractor. US authorities have for years wanted Snowden returned to the United States to face a criminal trial on espionage charges brought in 2013.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange sought asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, UK, in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden on a rape allegation that he denied — and claimed was a ploy to hand him over to the US.

Former Peruvian president Alan García entered the Uruguayan embassy in Lima and filed a request for political asylum. Uruguay is thus acting according to UN principles and other international agreements it has signed, like the Lima Commitment focusing on “Democratic Governance against Corruption”.

Nicola Gruevski, the former Prime Minister of Macedonia, applied for asylum in Hungary after fleeing his home country in what seems to be an attempt to avoid a two-year prison sentence imposed after he was found guilty of corruption.

[Sanjiv]

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