In response to the recent developments in Bangladesh, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar held a meeting last night with Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. This morning, before the parliamentary session, he convened an all-party meeting to discuss the situation.
Following the meeting, Jaishankar stated that there is unanimous support within the government regarding the situation in Bangladesh. He also announced that the Indian government has agreed to give Sheikh Hasina some time to plan her future course of action, and this has been communicated to her.
The Foreign Minister indicated that he would provide a detailed statement on the situation in Bangladesh in Parliament today. He refrained from making specific comments about the meeting beforehand. However, sources report that during the all-party meeting, he reassured attendees that the situation in Bangladesh is not so critical as to require the immediate repatriation of the 12-13 thousand Indian nationals currently residing there.
Jaishankar emphasized that the situation is being closely monitored.
The meeting was attended by key political figures, including Congress President and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader Rahul Gandhi, and leaders from other parties.
Jaishankar noted that since the onset of the quota reform movement, nearly eight thousand Indian nationals, including students, have returned to India in phases.
According to government sources, Jaishankar mentioned that the Indian government has had discussions with Sheikh Hasina and has agreed to give her time to decide on her future plans, which has been communicated to her.
Sheikh Hasina arrived in India on Monday evening and met with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at the Hindon Air Base near Ghaziabad. On Monday night, there were rumors that Hasina might travel to London from India. However, Jaishankar’s comments during the all-party meeting suggest that her departure for London has not yet been finalized.
According to an Indian media report, during the meeting, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi suggested the possibility of forming an interim government in Bangladesh before the elections. He proposed that India should prepare two plans: one for the medium term and another for the long term.
Rahul Gandhi also indicated that students might favor seeing Nobel laureate economist Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus lead the interim government.
In response, Jaishankar noted that the situation remains fluid and is constantly evolving, necessitating careful and considered actions.
When asked about anti-India sentiments in certain areas of Bangladesh, Jaishankar stated that regardless of who is in power in Bangladesh, the Indian government will work with them.
After the meeting, Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi commented that developments in Bangladesh have significant implications for India. Any instability there would not be beneficial for India. Ensuring the security of border areas is crucial, and India must be prepared to repatriate its citizens if necessary.
