Bangladesh unrest LIVE | US revokes Hasina’s visa: Reports

Sheikh Hasina has been a “good friend of India” and if she wishes to stay on, the central government is likely to consider it “very favourably”, a former high commissioner of India to Bangladesh said on Tuesday.

The embattled Bangladesh leader is unlikely to move out of India for the next couple of days and her future looks uncertain.

Veena Sikri, the former envoy, said India has “always helped” the people of Bangladesh in “all problems”.

“Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League, the forces of Liberation, I am going back to 1971, they have always been friends with India. And, I am taking you to 1971...India, the Awami League and Muktijodhas fought shoulder-to-shoulder for the liberation of Bangladesh.

“There has been a great empathy and understanding...mutual friendship, mutual respect and mutual understanding between the Awami League and India, between the people of Bangladesh and India. And, India has always helped them in all problems,” Sikri told PTI.

“So, right now when Sheikh Hasina has been forced to leave her country, and she is now in India, if she wishes to stay in India, I am sure our government will consider it very favourably,” Sikri added.

The veteran diplomat said Hasina has stayed in India earlier — after the assassination of her father and Bangladesh independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who served as both the country’s president and prime minister. Rahman was assassinated in August 1975.

“She was in India for a long time, she was in India for many years and then she went back to Bangladesh and became a leader of the Awami League. This question whether she should stay or not, be left for a little while, to let her decide, let the situation evolve,” Sikri said.

Asked if presence of Hasina in India will impact ties with the new dispensation that will come up, Sikri said that as far as other political parties are concerned, whether it is BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) or Jamaat-i-Islami Bangaldesh, “Their views on India are well-known.”

“But it is not that we don’t talk to them. We are in touch with all political parties. I myself have been there as a high commissioner. And, I was always in touch with all political groups.

“At that time, the BNP was in power. So, I was fully in touch with then Prime Minister... with all ministers of the government, Jamaat-e-Islami and also Awami League. Sheikh Hasina was the leader of opposition, but I was in touch with her too, closely in touch with her,” she added.

“I think in any country, it is important to keep in touch with all political forces,” the former envoy to Dhaka said.

Pankaj Saran, another veteran diplomat who served as envoy of India to Bangladesh from 2012-2015, on Monday told PTI, “I think it is clear that there are political forces who are using students’ grievances as an opportunity to settle political scores.”

Sikri too has said that had it been purely a student movement, it would have “petered out” after the government responded to its demand. As the situation remains volatile, on India-Bangladesh ties, she said, “We will have to see how it develops.”

Amid the turmoil in Bangladesh, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien on Tuesday said West Bengal has the biggest challenge “to absorb the most pressure” and it will be prudent of the Union government to keep the chief minister informed about the developments.

O’Brien, who also attended an all-party meeting called by the government to brief the leaders on the developments in the neighbouring country, told reporters that being a state contiguous to Bangladesh, West Bengal is likely to be most impacted by any crisis there.

TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay told the meeting that the West Bengal government should be kept in the loop over the developments in Bangladesh.

“West Bengal has the biggest challenge and has to absorb the most pressure during this sensitive time. It would be prudent of the Union government to keep the Chief Minister updated,” O’Brien said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday appealed to the people of the state to maintain peace and avoid provocation. Declining to comment on developments in Bangladesh, the chief minister said it is a matter for the Ministry of External Affairs to respond.

“I would appeal to all citizens of West Bengal to maintain peace and avoid all forms of provocation. Whatever decision the Centre takes on this issue, we will abide by it,” the TMC chief had said.

The Maharashtra government has set up a team of officials to facilitate safe return of about 20 students from the state who are studying in Bangladesh.

A list of these students has been shared with the Ministry of External Affairs, the chief minister’s office said in a statement on Tuesday.

About 20 students from Maharashtra are in the neighbouring country. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has communicated with the MEA and stressed the need for an urgent action plan, it said.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at an-all party meeting as to whether foreign forces, specifically Pakistan, might have been involved in the developments in Bangladesh, sources said.

He also asked about the government’s strategy going forward in dealing with the crisis in the neighbouring country, the Congress sources said.

Jaishankar told the all-party meeting that India has assured help to former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who arrived here on Monday evening, and given her time to decide the future course of action.

Replying to the question, he did not rule out the role of foreign governments in the unrest in Bangladesh but emphasised that the situation was too fluid, and the Indian government has been keeping a watch on the evolving situation, they said.

The former Congress chief conveyed his full cooperation to the government on the issue.

Rahul also expressed concern over the status of minorities in that country, they said.

Indian exporters on Tuesday said the political situation in Bangladesh may lead to short-term shifting of garment orders to India. However, they added that India has no intention or inclination to exploit this unfortunate situation in its friendly neighbouring country.

Mithileshwar Thakur, Secretary General of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), said the current situation in Bangladesh is a matter of great concern for all the exporters.

“We wish that the situation stabilizes quickly and normal business resumes. We are a friendly neighbour country and completely empathize with the unfortunate incidents of violent protests that are unfolding in Bangladesh,” he said.

Thakur added that India has no intention or inclination to exploit this unfortunate situation in its friendly neighbouring country.

"The Indian garment industry is making serious efforts to grow RMG exports on its own, based on its merit. However, it is quite likely that in short-term garment orders may shift to India and the Indian apparel industry may be asked to fill the gap caused by this severe disruption,” he said.

Ludhiana-based exporter SC Ralhan said that the political crisis in the neighbouring country will impact timely payments.

He said that normalisation of the situation would help in the smooth movement of goods.

Ralhan said that Indian firms having units in Bangladesh would face the impact.

“There would be stress on timely payments,” Ralhan said.

Bangladesh is a key player in garments in the world and it imports cotton from India.

Several Indian doctors staying in Bangladesh have chosen to remain in violence-hit Dhaka, performing their duty to save lives, even as worries about their own safety have kept their parents concerned back home.

There is a scarcity of resources and doctors are overburdened amid an overnight spike in the number of casualties in many Dhaka hospitals, several Indian medical practitioners in Bangladesh said.

Talking to PTI, they said they are drawn by a “sense of duty” and have stepped in to help the hospitals deal with the ongoing crisis.

“We are witnessing pellet injuries, gunshot and stab wounds in many patients. The number of casualties increased after fresh clashes broke between protesters and police on Monday night. There is an acute shortage of resources and we are working for 17-18 hours a day,” a doctor from Srinagar, who is attached to a hospital in Old Dhaka, said over the phone.

“Our parents are concerned about our safety but we had taken an oath at the time of our degree completion to safeguard people’s lives. It is our duty to serve them and the hospitals need us in this difficult time,” another doctor from Gujarat said.

The medical practitioners got their MBBS degree from Bangladesh and are currently undergoing a one-year internship at different hospitals in the neighbouring country. They did not wish to be identified. They described the situation as a state of “complete lawlessness” after Hasina fled fearing threat to her life from anti-government protesters.

However, the doctors said the situation appeared to have improved on Tuesday morning as the curfew was lifted and shops, businesses and other establishments gradually started resuming their operations.

“There is no threat to foreign nationals in the current situation. I feel absolutely safe. The clashes are between the protesters and political outfits. Those who are not part of the protests like me do not feel any security concern. Till Monday, there was no law and order. However, things improved on Tuesday. We see people on roads and businesses resuming their work,” said a doctor from Jammu and Kashmir and the president of the Affiliation of Indian Medical Students in Bangladesh.

“My parents want me to return home but the hospitals here need us. Sometimes, we spend four days at a stretch at the hospital looking after patients. Most importantly, if we leave right now, we will have to complete our internship period later on,” he said.

Addressing the concerns of students who had to leave their studies mid-way due to the violence, the association wrote on social media: “Most of the students already know that a majority of medical institutes are reopening from next week. With the current situation in the nation, we strongly advise all the students not to rush. Wait for 7-10 days and trust the process and let the nation re-establish its law and order. We strongly advise everyone to make their travel arrangements after August 15. Prioritise your safety, take a decision as a batch, institute and communicate with your respective college authorities.”

The United States has revoked Sheikh Hasina’s visa, say media reports quoting insider sources. There is still no official confirmation on this news.