External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Parliament on Tuesday that the situation in Bangladesh does not necessitate the evacuation of the 12,000-13,000 Indians residing there. This statement came during an all-party meeting convened to discuss the recent unrest in Bangladesh following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Jaishankar assured the attendees, which included NDA allies and opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, that the government is closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh, where anti-government protests have resulted in over 300 deaths. However, the AAP claimed it was not invited to the meeting.
He further mentioned that approximately 8,000 Indians, primarily students, have returned to India amidst the protests against the controversial quota system for government jobs. The minister also shared that there had been a brief discussion with Hasina, who fled to India after resigning as Prime Minister. “The government wants to give Hasina some time to decide her future plan,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying.
