Sheikh Hasina resigns as Bangladesh PM amid crisis, lands in India, echoing 1975 shelter incident
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and left the country, with her flight landing in India at 5:36 pm on Monday. This marks the end of her 15-year tenure as prime minister, a departure triggered by recent violent anti-government protests that resulted in over 300 deaths. The Bangladesh Air Force C-130 carrying Hasina landed at Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad, India.
Allegedly, Sheikh Hasina is escaping from Bangladesh.
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The Indian authorities closely monitored her flight, tracking its progress as it crossed over Gaya and approached Varanasi around 4:15 pm. Indian government sources reportedly stated that India has granted Hasina permission for a "brief halt," after which she is expected to proceed to London. However, there has been no official confirmation on whether she plans to remain in India or continue her journey to another destination.
According to the flight monitoring website Flight Radar, Hasina's C-130 aircraft became the most tracked plane globally, as people around the world followed its route to gauge where it was headed. Earlier reports suggested that thousands of protesters had stormed Hasina's official residence, Ganabhaban, in Dhaka. Following this unrest, the 76-year-old leader and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, were moved to a "safe location."
How India sheltered Sheikh Hasina during her darkest time
This is not the first time India has come to Sheikh Hasina's aid during a crisis. In 1975, after the brutal assassination of her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, and 18 other family members, Hasina, who was out of the country, sought refuge in India. The late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi provided her with security and shelter, housing her in Delhi's Pandara Road.
During a 2022 interview with ANI, Hasina reflected on this difficult chapter in her life, expressing deep gratitude to India for being a "trusted friend." She recalled the emotional turmoil she experienced upon learning of her family's massacre and spoke about living under an assumed identity with her husband, children, and sister during her six-year exile in India.
Despite facing multiple assassination attempts, Hasina worked tirelessly to seek justice for her family's killers and to restore political stability to Bangladesh. She eventually returned to her home country in May 1981 after being named the leader of the Awami League, marking the end of her political asylum in India.
Bangladesh's uncertain future after Hasina's resignation
In the wake of Sheikh Hasina's resignation, Bangladesh's Army Chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, announced his intention to form an interim government to manage the country's political transition. Addressing the nation, General Zaman assured that all cases of recent violence would be thoroughly investigated and called for public trust in the military.
"PM Hasina has resigned, interim government to run the country. We will return peace to the country. We ask citizens to stop violence. We will investigate all killings that have happened over the past few weeks," General Zaman said.
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He urged protesters to cease vandalism and violence, promising that a solution would be found to the ongoing crisis. "Give me some time, we are going to find a solution," he added, emphasizing the importance of peace and cooperation to safeguard the nation's progress during this uncertain period.
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