Sheikh Hasina’s exit and its impact on India. Here are all the details.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently resigned. As protesters angrily took to the streets, ignoring curfew orders, the prime minister left her residence in Dhaka and left the country. The Bangladesh army will form an interim government with the help of political parties.

Bangladesh Army chief General Waqar Uzi Zaman said in a televised address that they will form an interim government with the help of political parties.

On the other hand, protesters angrily entered the Prime Minister’s residence in Dhaka. The situation seems unstable. What does Sheikh Hasina’s exit mean for India?

What is the situation in Bangladesh?

The country has been rocked by protests over the job quota system over the past month, the largest since Hasina was re-elected for a fourth term in 2008.

The prime minister has led Bangladesh to economic growth. However, she has also taken authoritarian and harsh measures against the political opposition, civil society organizations and the media.

This made the prime minister unpopular, especially among the youth. The youth took to the streets to protest against the prime minister. The prime minister’s resignation would mean a huge challenge for the country’s economy. Bangladesh is yet to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

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What does the PM’s exit mean for India?

The prime minister was in office for 17 years and his departure after such a long tenure means that India has lost a trusted partner as the prime minister had cordial relations with India.

India has been working closely with Hasina to combat terror groups emanating from Bangladesh.

India’s partnership with Hasina has brought the two countries together. In addition, India has provided assistance to Bangladesh for several projects.

If Hasina arrives in India, it means India will now have to work to ensure her safety. India will also then have to face certain questions from the new regime in Dhaka about providing shelter to unpopular leaders.

Can similarly strong ties be established with the new government?

India has indicated that it remains engaged with the interim government and will continue to engage with any future elected government in Dhaka. India’s High Commissioner to Dhaka, Pranay Verma, attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

Despite all these efforts, there are still some issues that complicate India’s relations with the new regime in Bangladesh. First, Dhaka is highly suspicious of Ms. Hasina’s presence in India. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar made a statement in Parliament saying that she had only arrived in India “temporarily.” This means that India wants Hasina to go somewhere else until anti-Hasina sentiment in Bangladesh cools down. However, the situation could become more thorny if the new government demands her extradition there.

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