“Mr. Chairman Sir,
I rise to apprise this august Home of sure latest developments pertaining to Bangladesh. As Hon’ble Members are conscious, India-Bangladesh relations have been exceptionally shut for a lot of a long time over many governments. Concern about latest violence and instability there’s shared throughout the political spectrum.
2.Because the election in January 2024, there was appreciable tensions, deep divides and rising polarization in Bangladesh politics. This underlying basis aggravated a scholar agitation that began in June this 12 months. There was rising violence, together with assaults on public buildings and infrastructure, in addition to visitors and rail obstructions. The violence continued by way of the month of July. All through this era, we repeatedly counselled restraint and urged that the state of affairs be defused by way of dialogue. Comparable urgings had been made to numerous political forces with whom we had been in contact.
3.Sir, regardless of a Supreme Courtroom judgement on 21 July, there was no let-up within the public agitation. Varied choices and actions taken thereafter solely exacerbated the state of affairs. The agitation at this stage coalesced round a one-point agenda, that’s that the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ought to step down.
4.On 4th August, occasions took a really critical flip. Assaults on police, together with police stations and authorities installations, intensified at the same time as general ranges of violence drastically escalated. Properties of people related to the regime had been torched throughout the nation. What was significantly worrying was that minorities, their companies and temples additionally got here underneath assault at a number of places. The complete extent of that is nonetheless not clear.
5.Sir, On fifth August, demonstrators converged in Dhaka regardless of the curfew. Our understanding is that after a gathering with leaders of the safety institution, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apparently made the choice to resign. At very quick discover, she requested approval to return for the second to India. We concurrently acquired a request for flight clearance from Bangladesh authorities. She arrived yesterday night in Delhi.
6.The state of affairs in Bangladesh Sir, remains to be evolving. The Military Chief, Basic Waker-uz-Zaman, addressed the nation on fifth August. He spoke about assuming duty and constituting an interim authorities.
7.We’re in shut and steady contact with the Indian neighborhood in Bangladesh by way of our diplomatic missions. There are an estimated 19,000 Indian nationals there, of which about 9,000 are college students. The majority of the scholars have already returned to India within the month of July on the recommendation of the Excessive Fee. By way of our diplomatic presence, along with the Excessive Fee in Dhaka, we now have Assistant Excessive Commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet. It’s our expectation that the host authorities will present the required safety safety for these institutions. We look ahead to their regular functioning as soon as the state of affairs stabilizes.
8.Chairman Sir, we’re additionally monitoring the state of affairs with regard to the standing of minorities. There are reviews of initiatives by numerous teams and organizations to make sure their safety and well-being. We welcome that, however will naturally stay deeply involved until legislation and order is visibly restored. Our border guarding forces have additionally been instructed to be exceptionally alert in view of this complicated state of affairs.
9.Within the final 24 hours, we now have additionally been in common contact with the authorities in Dhaka. That is the state of affairs as of now. I search the understanding and assist of the Home in regard to delicate points concerning an essential neighbour on which there has at all times been sturdy nationwide consensus.”
