After leading Bangladesh for 15 years, Sheikh Hasina, popularly known as the ‘Iron Lady’, was forced to resign and flee the country. The anti-government protests that began last month over the quota system reached their peak on Monday. The streets of Dhaka, which were rocked by violence and death for the last three weeks, erupted into celebrations after she left the country. Sheikh Hasina has currently taken refuge in India.
Various political reactions have started coming up in India regarding the current situation in the neighboring country. The leaders of opposition parties are seeing an opportunity to give advice to the current central government in the Bangladesh disaster. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has also commented on the situation in Bangladesh. Talking to media persons outside the Parliament premises, Sanjay Raut called Sheikh Hasina a failure as Prime Minister and accused her of running Bangladesh in a dictatorial manner.
Sheikh Hasina was a dictator in the guise of democracy: Raut
When journalists asked Sanjay Raut about Hasina and the situation in Bangladesh, he said, ‘Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family have maintained good relations with India. It was because of Indira Gandhi that Pakistan was divided into two parts and Bangladesh was created. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated. But this much can be said about Sheikh Hasina that she ran a dictatorship in the name of democracy. The people of the country do not forgive those who run a dictatorship in the name of democracy and endanger the independence of the country. The leaders of our country should learn a lesson from whatever happened in Bangladesh.’
Indian rulers should learn a lesson from Bangladesh: Sanjay Raut
He said, ‘A situation similar to India has arisen in Bangladesh. The voice of the opposition was suppressed there, there were scams in the elections. Opponents were put in jail. Many people were killed. Unwanted laws were passed in the Parliament. People were struggling with inflation. Thus, Sheikh Hasina failed as Prime Minister. She ran the country in a dictatorial manner under the guise of democratic principles. The rulers of India should also think about its impact.’
Modi government’s foreign policy is a failure: Udit Raj
Senior Congress leader and former MP Udit Raj said on the Bangladesh crisis, ‘This is not just an issue of Bangladesh, but of the whole world. BJP leaders are saying that Hindus are unsafe there. ISI and China are behind this. If what BJP leaders are saying is true, then this is our intelligence failure. Why did we not know anything? This is a failure of the Modi government’s foreign policy. What was our foreign minister doing?’
There is an effort to form an interim government in Bangladesh
Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman said that a new interim government would be formed soon after consultation with other political parties, except the former ruling party Awami League. He appealed to the people on the streets to end violent protests and cooperate with the army in establishing peace in Bangladesh. Let us tell you that more than 300 people have died and more than 3000 have been injured in these protests which started in July. Hasina, who arrived in India by military plane, reportedly intends to take refuge in the United Kingdom or Finland. However, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy dismissed these reports in a conversation with Aaj Tak and said that his mother has no plans to return to Bangladesh.
Protesters looted PM’s residence
Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar is scheduled to meet student leaders leading the student protest. According to Bangladeshi media reports, the students who initially protested against the job quota and later demanded Hasina’s resignation are pushing for an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. The protesters cheered the end of Hasina’s rule and waved the national flag from the roof of the ‘Ganabhaban’, the official residence of the Bangladeshi Prime Minister in Dhaka. Scenes of some protesters lying on beds in the PM’s residence bedrooms, carrying away furniture and valuables and eating in the kitchen have gone viral on the internet.
Protesting students attacked Bangladeshi parliament
Protesters also stormed the parliament building, chanting slogans and setting off smoke bombs. They looted, set fire to and vandalised public property and vandalised statues of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina’s father and Bangladesh’s founding father. Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin dissolved parliament after Sheikh Hasina resigned and ordered the release of jailed former Prime Minister and prominent opposition leader Khaleda Zia.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)