Bangladesh crisis Highlights: Muhammad Yunus to take oath on August 8, 2024 at 8 p.m.; advisory team may include 15 members

“We are committed to conducting a fair and impartial investigation into every recent killing of students, common people and the police”, Bangladesh’s newly appointed Inspector General of Police Md. Mainul Islam said.

He also said that some casualties of policemen in the recent violence happened because of some “unprofessional and overly ambitious officials” who violated human rights.

- PTI

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) chairman Samuel Jyrwa prompted the Centre to not grant asylum to any Bangladeshi immigrants anywhere in India’s Northeast, in fears of forceful land occupation.

He stated that “past events indicate that whenever there was a strife in present-day Bangladesh, Northeast India bore the brunt of mass migration.”

- PTI

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party is holding a public rally in front of their party headquarters at Naya Paltan in Dhaka. The rally is being led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Sheikh Hasina’s archrival, a day after her release from house arrest.

- AP

Addressing a press conference, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman says the interim government, headed by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, will take oath on Thursday (August 8, 2024) at 8 pm.

He also adds that the advisory council may have 15 members.

Read the whole story here

On Wednesday (August 7, 2024), a Bangladeshi court overturned the new interim government head Mohammed Yunus’s conviction for violations of the labour law, for which he was sentenced to six months in prison.

“Professor Muhammad Yunus and three of his colleagues have been acquitted of labour charges,” one of his lawyers, Khaja Tanvir Ahmed said.

- AFP

The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) said on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) that buyers are “very concerned” with the escalation of the civil and political unrest in Bangladesh and have no choice but to withdraw their orders from there and place them somewhere else in the short term. However, India is not a viable option.

“Shifting these short-delivery orders using special imported fabrics to India is not viable, given India’s current import policies. Only orders in fabrics of Indian origin are expected to be shifted to Indian factories,” AEPC Chairman Sudhir Sekhri said.

- PTI

“I would like to raise a few fundamental issues about where we stand and what are the possibilities of making this FTA a reality,” Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday (August 7, 2024). He suggested that the seven member countries of the BIMSTEC bloc re-examine the proposed free trade agreement (FTA), which has been negotiated since 2004, as the talks for the pact are progressing at a very slow pace.

He suggested that members can think of negotiating a preferential trade agreement instead of a full-fledged free trade pact.

- PTI

“Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who was released from jail after the ouster of her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina, has received a renewed passport,” her party said on Wednesday (August 7, 2024).

Ms. Zia (79) was sentenced to 17 years in prison for graft in 2018 under the rule of Sheikh Hasina.

Ms. Zia has received a renewed passport, BNP media cell member Shairul Kabir Khan was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.

The renewal process for her passport was completed on Tuesday (August 6, 2024). “Ms. Zia’s personal secretary ABM Abdus Sattar received her renewed machine-readable passport on her behalf later that night,” it said.

- PTI

Bangladesh’s interim government Head Muhammad Yunus appeal to everybody to stay calm and refrain from all kinds of violence on Wednesday (August 7, 2024).

“Let us make the best use of our new victory, not let this slip away because of our mistakes,” Mr. Yunus added.

- Reuters

“As many as 25 students pursuing their studies in strife-ridden Bangladesh have returned to their home town on Wednesday (August 7, 2024),” authorities said.

The parents of the children were worried about the safety of their children ever since the neighbouring country plunged into turmoil.

“A few students said they had been unable to contact their parents as the communication network was disrupted. The Indian Embassy helped these students return home safely,” the authorities said.

- PTI

Bangladesh must hold general election within three months after Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister and fled the country, the Secretary General of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, said on Wednesday (August 7, 2024).

- Reuters

Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following mass protests against her government, is going to stay in Delhi “for a little while,” her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy said on Wednesday (August 7, 2024).

In a video interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Mr. Joy was asked about Ms. Hasina’s reported plans to seek asylum in a third country.

“These are all rumours. She has not made a decision on that yet. She is going to stay in Delhi for a little while. My sister is with her. So she is not alone,” Mr. Joy said.

- PTI

“Bangladesh’s Nobel-winning microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus, who is set to lead an interim government after the premier was ousted, will return to Dhaka on Thursday (August 8, 2024),” his office said in a statement.

“Yunus (84), who is currently in Europe, will arrive in the capital Dhaka at 2:10 pm (08:10 GMT) on Thursday (August 8, 2024),” his office said.

- AFP

The BJP on August 7 slammed as “anarchist” Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s remarks that a Bangladesh-like situation could happen in India as well.

At a book release function on August 6 night, Mr. Khurshid said that though “everything may look normal on the surface”, what is happening in Bangladesh could happen in India.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who was also present at the event, said on August 7 that he could not explain what Mr. Khurshid meant, but the larger message that Bangladesh has given is about the importance of democracy and free and fair elections.

“He is also a member of the CWC, this is an anarchist statement, and I think it is a kind of sedition. It’s unfortunate that the Congress is resorting to such anarchist statements to hide its failure,” BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

- PTI

“Border Security Force (BSF) Director General Daljit Singh Chaudhary on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) reviewed operational preparedness along the Tripura-Bangladesh border following political turmoil in the neighbouring country,” said an official.

“The DG was briefed about the security arrangement along the State’s border with Bangladesh by the senior officials. Mr. Singh will have a separate meeting with state DGP Amitabh Ranjan and Inspector General (Law & Order) Saumitra Dhar on the overall security scenario along the Bangladesh border,” the official said.

The Additional Director General (BSF) will go to two border locations — Srimantapur and Nehalchandranagar— in Sepahijala district.

Following the unrest in Bangladesh, the BSF has enhanced its vigil along the 856-km border in the state to thwart attempts at illegal entry from across the boundary.- PTI

​

Non-essential staffers at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and their family members returned to India on Wednesday on a voluntary basis through commercial flights, official sources said.

However, all Indian diplomats at the mission are operating from the Bangladesh capital, they said The Indian High Commission remains functional, the sources said.

The non-essential staffers returned home as various parts of Bangladesh continued to report clashes. 

PTI

Despite ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh, trade between India and the neighbouring country through land ports in West Bengal is expected to normalise soon while some movements of goods via one of these facilities were reported on Wednesday, officials said.

A meeting between the land port authorities of the two countries is scheduled on Wednesday at South Asia’s largest land port Petrapole in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, which is “expected to provide clarity on transportation of goods”, the officials said. 

The Director General of the Border Security Force was also in Petrapole on Tuesday to review the situation along the international boundary in the wake of the crisis in Bangladesh.

“Trucks are getting ready, and some cargo movement via Ghojadanga has started for the Bangladeshi side. This is possible because the situation in Bhomra in the neighbouring country, the opposite side of Ghojadanga, remains stable,” Carrying & Forwarding Agents Welfare Association office bearer Joydev Sarkar said. 

PTI

Amid ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh, the Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal called the situation concerning and extended his wishes for a smooth transition. 

While addressing the BIMSTEC Business Summit organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in Delhi, the Union Minister on Wednesday said, “We are all deeply concerned about the evolving situation in Bangladesh and we wish the people of Bangladesh our best wishes for a smooth transition and a bright future in the years to come.” 

ANI

Pakistan on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) expressed solidarity with the people of Bangladesh and hoped that the country would soon return to normalcy.

“The Government and people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the people of Bangladesh, sincerely hoping for a peaceful and swift return to normalcy,” the Foreign Office said in a brief statement in its first reaction to the recent political change in Bangladesh.

It further stated that the “resilient spirit and unity of the Bangladeshi people will lead them towards a harmonious future”.

- PTI

“Apart from the possible influx of persecuted people from the country, Bangladesh may again become a haven for some Northeast militant outfits to regroup, but we hope the new government in Dhaka will continue with friendly ties with India,” said Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

Sheikh Hasina survived the carnage of August 15, 1975 by sheer chance. Ms. Hasina, who was then 28, happened to be abroad when almost all members of her family, including her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding founder of Bangladesh, were killed at their residence in Dhaka by a group of Army personnel. She then spent almost a decade in exile in India. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she remobilised the Awami League (AL), Mujib’s party, which played a crucial role in bringing down the military dictatorship of Muhammad Ershad in 1990. Six years later, the AL, under her leadership, defeated the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Khaleda Zia, and Ms. Hasina became the Prime Minister for the first time. She returned to power after an interregnum in 2009.

In the subsequent 15 years, Ms. Hasina oversaw economic progress in Bangladesh. The country of 170 million people saw millions being lifted out of poverty. Her government won international praise for hosting millions of Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled violence in neighbouring Myanmar. She set up a war crimes tribunal to hold those who aided the genocide of the 1970s accountable. She won back-to-back elections, the latest victory being in January. Still everything she built came crashing like a castle in the sand on August 5. The ‘iron lady’ of Bangladesh had to resign and leave the country. She is now in India and is reportedly seeking asylum in a third country. What went wrong for the most powerful Prime Minister Bangladesh had in a generation?

Bangladesh’s protest leaders said they expect members of an interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, to be finalised on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina quit and fled to India following a violent crackdown on a student-led uprising.

Bangladesh’s president appointed Mr. Yunus as the head of the interim government late on Tuesday, meeting a key demand of students, and said the remaining members need to be finalised soon to overcome the current crisis, according to a statement from his office. - Reuters

“Our diplomats and officials continue in Dhaka. Non essential staff and families have returned this morning,” official sources said on Wednesday.

The helpline numbers of HCI Dhaka are being shared again below for reference:

+8801958383679

+8801958383680

+8801937400591

- Kallol Bhattacharjee

Several Bangladeshis, who have come in Kolkata either for medical treatment or education or other purposes, are now stranded in the city and concerned about the ongoing violence and abrupt change of regime in their country.

The suspension of train services between India and Bangladesh has compounded their anxiety, and they are uncertain about their next steps. “I came here for the treatment of my father, and we have been here for the last 20 days. We are stuck in Kolkata. I am worried about my family in Dhaka,” said 35-year-old Md Mostaque.

- PTI

In view of the recent developments, Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi “postpones” August 15 observance of day marking assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

- Suhasini Haidar

India has pulled out non-essential staff and families from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. 

All Indian diplomats remain in Bangladesh and the missions are functional, the sources added. 

Air India and IndiGo operated special flights to Dhaka, bringing more than 400 people amid a volatile situation in the Bangladesh capital. A special Air India flight brought 205 people, including 6 infants, from Dhaka to New Delhi on Wednesday morning, an official said.

IndiGo’s special flight flew from Dhaka to Kolkata on Tuesday to bring back Indian nationals from Bangladesh, the airline said in a statement.

The Manipur government on August 6 imposed a night curfew in Pherzawl and parts of Jiribam district to check illegal immigration from Bangladesh, officials said.

In Pherzawl district, the restrictions will be relaxed from 8 am to 4 pm. In Jiribam, where the restrictions were imposed in areas under Jiribam Municipal Council and Borobekra subdivision, the relaxation will be given from 9 am to 3 pm, they said.

Rights groups and diplomats in Bangladesh on Tuesday raised concerns at reports of attacks on minorities including Hindus, a day after the prime minister was ousted following mass protests.

Some businesses and homes owned by Hindus — a group seen by some in the Muslim-majority nation as having been close to ousted leader Sheikh Hasina — were attacked on Monday, witnesses said.

A special Air India flight brought 205 people, including six infants, from Dhaka to New Delhi on Wednesday morning, an official said.

The chartered flight, which took off for the Bangladesh capital late Tuesday, was operated with an A321 neo aircraft.

The flight brought back 205 people - 199 adults and six infants - from Dhaka. Air India operated the flight, which took off from the national capital without any passengers, at a very short notice despite infrastructure challenges at the airport there, said the official in the know of the developments. - PTI

Bangladesh’s uncompromising former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been released from years of house arrest after her bitter enemy Sheikh Hasina was ousted as premier and fled as protesters stormed her palace.

The ferocious rivalry between the two women — born in blood and cemented in prison — has defined politics in the Muslim-majority nation for decades.

Ms. Zia, 78, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for graft in 2018 under Ms. Hasina’s rule.

Earlier on August 6, Bangladesh Nobel winner Muhammad Yunus said that he is ready to head a caretaker government, a day after the military took control as mass protests forced longtime ruler Sheikh Hasina to flee.

Microfinance pioneer Mr. Yunus, 84, is credited with lifting millions out of poverty — earning the enmity of ousted Ms. Hasina and the wide respect of millions of Bangladeshis.

“If action is needed in Bangladesh, for my country and for the courage of my people, then I will take it,” he told AFP in a statement, also calling for “free elections”, after student leaders called for him to lead an interim government.

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved Parliament on Tuesday and appointed Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus as the head of an interim government, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina abruptly resigned and fled the country following weeks of violent protests.

The decision was made in a meeting President Shahabuddin had with chiefs of the three services and a 13-member delegation of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at Bangabhaban (presidential palace), President’s Press Secretary Md. Joynal Abedin said late Tuesday night.