Hasina's destination still unclear

As fallen Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has yet to find her destination--in a repeat of exile in over three decades--India decided Tuesday to give her time to choose.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said so while briefing an all-party meeting in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, a day after Hasina flew to the neighbouring country after resignation amid a student-mass uprising.
The situation gets complicated for Hasina as the UK has not yet given her the green signal on asylum, and the US reportedly revoked her visas.
However, her son Sazib Wazed Joy told Indian media Tuesday that his mother would settle with him and retire from politics forever. "She will come to me, play with my kids, and be a good grandmother," Joy told the Indian TV channel Wion from abroad.
The all-party meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, discussed Pakistan's possible involvement in the ouster of the Hasina government when Rahul asked if any other country played a role in the events leading to Hasina's unseating.
Earlier, during a briefing in the upper house, the Indian foreign minister said India is monitoring the situation in Bangladesh and is in regular contact with Bangladeshi authorities on the cusp of the changeover.
Sheikh Hasina requested permission "at very short notice" to come to India following her forced resignation as Bangladesh Prime Minister, Mr Jaishankar said.
Briefing parliament on the "still evolving" situation in Bangladesh, India's response, and the status of an estimated 19,000 nationals in that country, he said the government is in "close and continuous touch" with the Indian community and called on the host nation to provide the required security.
On August 5, demonstrators converged on Dhaka in defiance of a curfew. It is understood that after a meeting with leaders of the security establishment, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the decision to step down.
At very short notice, she requested approval to come, for the moment, to India.
"We simultaneously received a request for flight clearance, and she arrived yesterday evening in Delhi," he said and also referred to an address by Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman - made on Monday evening, shortly after Mrs Hasina stood down.
"I have met opposition leaders... we have decided to form an interim government..." and appealed for the violent protests to end, the army chief was quoted to have said.
"The situation in Bangladesh is still evolving. 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, of which about 9,000 are students. The bulk of students returned in July," he said.
"In the last 24 hours, we have also been in regular touch with authorities in Dhaka. I seek the understanding and support of the House regarding sensitive issues concerning an important neighbour on which there has always been strong national consensus," said the Indian minister.
Mr. Jaishankar also spoke about India's diplomatic missions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet, and said, "It is our expectation that the host government will provide the required security."
On the question of minorities (over 90 per cent of Bangladeshis are Muslims), he said, "We are monitoring the situation with regard to minorities. There are reports of initiatives to ensure their protection. We welcome that, but will remain deeply concerned until law and order are visibly restored."
He noted concerns about the recent violence and political instability there are shared across the political spectrum.
"Since the election in January, there have been considerable tension, deep divides, and growing polarization in Bangladesh politics," he said, adding there was growing violence, including attacks on public buildings and infrastructure.
"The violence continued throughout the month of July. During this period, we repeatedly called for restraint and dialogue with political forces with whom we were in touch," said Mr. Jaishankar, who also had a role regarding pre-election unrest and uncertainty over the polls in Bangladesh.
Despite the Supreme Court verdict on July 21, there was no letup in public agitation, and various decisions and actions taken afterwards only aggravated the situation, he noted in an extensive briefing.
Later, the agitation centered on one agenda: the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
On August 4, the violence took a serious turn with the killing of 14 police personnel. "What is also worrying is that the businesses, properties of minorities, and temples also came under attack on multiple occasions," he said.
"On August 5, protesters converged on Dhaka despite the curfew, and our understanding is that the prime minister took the decision to resign after discussions with chiefs of security forces."
And "At very short notice, she requested approval to come to India for the moment. We simultaneously received the request for flight clearance from the Bangladesh authorities. She arrived yesterday evening in Delhi."
The situation in Bangladesh is still evolving, Mr. Jaishankar said. "We look forward to normal functioning once the situation stabilizes. We are also monitoring the situation regarding the status of the minorities."
He said there were reports of initiatives by various groups and organizations "to ensure protection and well-being."
"Our border forces are also instructed to remain exceptionally alert in view of this complex situation... In the last 24 hours, we have been in regular touch with the authorities in Dhaka."
The Indian foreign minister sought national consensus on this sensitive issue and on an important neighbour.
This happens to be Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana's second self-exile after the one after their father and independence leader Sheikh Mujib's assassination, along with most members of his family. The two sisters had been abroad during the August 15, 1975 putsch by a cabal.

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