Situation in Bangladesh still evolving, India monitoring situation with regard to minorities: Jaishankar in Rajya Sabha

Ajay Banerjee

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New Delhi, August 6

Making the first formal statement on the crisis in Bangladesh, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said the situation in Bangladesh was ‘still evolving’ and there was concern with regards to safety and security of minorities and their religious places.

Making a suo moto statement in the Rajya Sabha, Jaishankar described the developments of the past 24 hours saying, “The situation in Bangladesh, is still evolving. The Army Chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman spoke about assuming responsibility and constituting an interim government”.

He said it was “particularly worrying that minorities, their businesses and temples also came under attack at multiple locations. The full extent of this is still not clear”. 

India was monitoring the situation with regard to the status of minorities. There are reports of initiatives by various groups and organisations to ensure their protection and well-being. “We welcome that, but will naturally remain deeply concerned till law and order is visibly restored”, said Jaishankar.

The agitation coalesced around a one-point agenda, that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should step down, said Jaishankar adding that on August 5, demonstrators converged in Dhaka despite the curfew. Our understanding is that after a meeting with leaders of the security establishment, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apparently made the decision to resign.

“At very short notice, Hasina requested approval to come, for the moment, to India. We simultaneously received a request for flight clearance from Bangladesh authorities”, said the EAM.

Hasina had resigned on Monday and was evacuated on a military plane to India.

On the safety and security of Indian nationals, the Minister said the government was in close and continuous touch with the Indian community in Bangladesh through the diplomatic missions.

There are an estimated 19,000 Indian nationals there, of which about 9,000 are students. The bulk of the students have already returned to India in the month of July on the advice of the High Commission.

Indian border guarding forces have also been instructed to be exceptionally alert in view of this complex situation.

In the last 24 hours, India has been in regular touch with the authorities in Dhaka.

India-Bangladesh relations have been exceptionally close for many decades over many governments. Concern about recent violence and instability there is shared across the political spectrum, Jaishankar said.

In terms of Indian diplomatic presence, in addition to the High Commission in Dhaka, Assistant High Commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet exist. “It is our expectation that the host government will provide the required security protection for these establishments. We look forward to their normal functioning once the situation stabilizes,” the minister said.