Bangladesh On Agenda, Amit Shah Meets S Jaishankar, Ajit Doval

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with foreign minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today to discuss the security situation in the country in view of the turmoil in Bangladesh. Since yesterday, as Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and came to Delhi, security has been strengthened in border areas.

The situation in border areas has been delicate in view of the ongoing violence in the neighbouring country. While the authorities have kept an eye on illegal migration, there is also concern about the condition of the Indians living in Bangladesh and the minorities of the Muslim-majority nation. 

In a statement to the Lok Sabha earlier today, Mr Jaishankar said there are around 19,000 Indian nationals living in Bangladesh, around 9,000 of whom are students. The bulk of students have already returned to India in the month of July on the advice of the High Commission.

The ministry, he said, has been in “close and continuous touch with the Indian community in Bangladesh through our diplomatic missions”.

New Delhi, he said, is monitoring the situation with regard to 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,” he said. 

“Our border guarding forces have also been instructed to be exceptionally alert in view of this complex situation,” Mr Jaishankar said.

The situation in Bangladesh, the foreign minister added, is “still evolving”. 

“The Army Chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, addressed the nation on 5 August. He spoke about assuming responsibility and constituting an interim government,” he said. 

More than 300 people have died in Bangladesh in the violence that has been continuing since last month. 

The protests had initially started over reservation of government jobs for the families of Bangladesh’s freedom fighters. The protesters contend that the rule favours members of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League and had sought a merit-based system to replace it.

But with the government’s crackdown on the protest, matters escalated and the focus had shifted to the “authoritarian” regime. The streets of Dhaka rang out with slogans demanding Sheikh Hasina step down.  Yesterday afternoon, the Prime Minister resigned, following a 45-minute ultimatum from the army.