The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Khaleda Zia, has expressed dissatisfaction with India’s decision to host former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following her resignation and departure from Dhaka. The BNP, a prominent rival to Hasina’s Awami League, has raised concerns over India’s perceived support for Hasina’s potential return to power. A senior BNP leader and former minister, Gayeshwar Roy, stated that the party supports mutual cooperation between Bangladesh and India, but cautioned that supporting their political opponent could hinder this cooperation. He questioned whether India’s actions promote only one party rather than the entire country.
Roy highlighted that India is effectively bearing the responsibility for Hasina’s situation, emphasizing that while the people of India and Bangladesh have no issues with each other, India’s actions might appear to favor a single political entity.
Hasina’s abrupt resignation and flight to India occurred amidst widespread protests against her government over a controversial quota system for government jobs. Following this unrest, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus would lead the interim government. Yunus was subsequently sworn in as the chief advisor, a position equivalent to prime minister.
Meanwhile, the future plans of Sheikh Hasina remain unclear. It is uncertain whether she will seek asylum in another country, remain in India, or return to Bangladesh. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, expressed gratitude to the Indian government for protecting his mother and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He called upon India to lead international efforts to restore democracy in Bangladesh. Joy also dismissed rumors about Hasina seeking asylum in the UK or facing a revoked US visa.
