PM Sheikh Hasina: Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister of Bangladesh (File).
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar about the violence in neighbouring Bangladesh - in which over 300 have died so far - and the resignation of former PM Sheikh Hasina and the fall of her government.
Here are the big points in this developing story:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed on the Bangladesh situation by Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. There is no word yet if Mr Modi will meet Mrs Hasina. Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has also spoken to Mr Jaishankar.
- Sheikh Hasina - who fled her Dhaka residence shortly before it was overrun - has landed at the Hindon Air Force base in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, which is 30km from Delhi.
- Mrs Hasina was received by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. She arrived in a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 military transport - that has been parked near the Indian Air Force's C-17 and C-130J aircrafts - and may fly to London to seek political asylum. The plane - with Mrs Hasina on board - is reportedly being refuelled for the flight to the UK.
- In India, the Border Security Force is on high alert. India shares a 4,096 km border with Bangladesh, across which travel has been stopped; the Railways and Air India have cancelled trains and flights. The airline operates two flights daily from Delhi to Dhaka.
- Meghalaya. which has a 443-km border with Bangladesh, has ordered a 12-hour night-time curfew from 6 pm within 200 metres inside Indian territory. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP's ally in Tripura, the Tipra Motha - which has a 856-km border - has been assured by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that no infiltration will be allowed.
- Earlier today, after Mrs Hasina resigned, Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said the military will form an "interim government" and urged to protesters to stand down. "There is a crisis. I have met Opposition leaders and we have decided to form an interim government to run this country. I take all responsibility and promise to protect your life and property. Your demands will be fulfilled. Please stop the violence," he said.
- Chaos erupted this morning after protesters stormed Gonobhaban - the PM's Dhaka residence. But by then Mrs Hasina - who began a fifth term this year - had fled; sources said she and her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, left in a military helicopter. Later in the day still-furious protesters also torched ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan's home.
- 100 people were killed and over 1,000 injured in clashes that took place between police and protesters on Sunday. The protests, which began late last month, have escalated dramatically over the past few days after a pitched battle between students and police.
- The protests began over a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for family members of veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 war against Pakistan. The demonstrations quickly grew into a wider anti-government movement that attracted people from all strata of Bangladeshi society, including film stars, musicians and singers.
- The Bangladesh Supreme Court cut the reservations to 5 per cent. Student leaders then put protests on hold but it flared up after they said the government ignored their call to release all their leaders. This triggered demands for Sheikh Hasina to quit.
With input from agencies
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