Will Shaken Hasina Go To London, Or Seek Asylum In India
Pic Credits- X
by K M Roy
Pune: OUSTED from Bangladesh, a shaken and rattled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (76) landed at Hindon airbase near Ghaziabad in India. Her daughter Saima Wazed is already in Delhi as the WHO regional director.
Ms Hasina who resigned as the Prime Minister had to flee Dhaka after more than a month of protests against job quotas which turned into a movement. Her dumping Bangladesh and fleeing other countries effectively brought to an end her 15 year old rule.
As anger mounted among the youths, Ms Hasina was apparently asked by her security personnel to quit Bangladesh and flee to other coluntries. While fleeing she did not even record a farewell speech. Ms Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is also her former adviser, said his mother will not make a political comeback. ''She has left the country for her own saferty. She did so at her family's request,'' he said.
As the news of her fleeing spread, raptarous crowd thronged the streets of Dhaka and other cities and celebrated like never before. A youth clambered ont to the statute of Sheikh Mujbur Rahman, who was Ms Hasina's father and founder of Bangladesh, and smashed at it. Scores of youths stormed her residence and went on looting spree.
Bangladesh Army chief Gen Waqar-Uzaman wasted no time in announcing that an interim government will be in place. ''I am now in charge,'' he told the nation.
When the helicopter carrying Ms Hasina landed at Hindon airbase near Ghaziabad, India's national security adviser Ajit Doval was there to received her. He was accompanied by top intelligence and military officials. She was put in a safe house and is likely to go to London where her relatives are staying.
The Indian Government has today called an all-party meeting to discuss the situation. Mr Doval is likely to preside over the meeting. On Monday night, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who presided over a meetig of the Cabinet Committee on Security and took stock of the situation.
The question is whether Ms Hasina will go to London or seek aslyum in India. ?