Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina continues to stay here in India, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
“She had come here on short notice. No change in her status. She continues to stay here,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at the weekly media briefing in New Delhi.
He made the comment when asked about some reports published in Bangladesh media that the Indian government issued a travel document to Hasina while she left the country and came back again.
Meanwhile, India on Thursday said it has seen reports about the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh issuing an arrest warrant against the deposed prime minister in connection with alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July-August uprising but declined to offer any comment.
“We have seen some reports to this effect. Other than that, I don’t have any comment to offer,” Jaiswal said in reply to a question.
He recalled his earlier statement that Hasina had come to India at “short notice for safety reasons” and said, “She continues to be.”
Asked when India would resume normal visa operations in Bangladesh, Jaiswal said, “We are already issuing medical visas and visas for emergency requirements. Once the law and order situation [in Bangladesh] improves and the situation becomes conducive to our resumption of normal visa operations, we will do that.”
In this context, he recalled that India in the past issued statements about attacks on minorities and Hindus in Bangladesh and violence on puja pandals and said, “The assurances given by the Bangladesh authorities on the protection of minorities and their rights must be implemented.”
Jaiswal did not answer a question on the interim government in Bangladesh which cancelled a number of national holidays, including the one commemorating the historic 7 March 1971 speech by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bd-prtidin English/Lutful Hoque
