Bangladesh Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina resigned, fleeing to UK from India

Sheikh Hasina arrived in India on Monday, shortly after resigning as Bangladesh's Prime Minister.

In the evening, she landed at Ghaziabad's Hindon airbase. According to reports, she is heading to the UK, where she has sought political asylum.

From India to the UK? Why Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina is seeking refuge in London.

Sheikh Hasina arrived in India on Monday (August 5) after resigning as Bangladesh's prime minister. In the evening, she and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, landed in a C-130 transport aircraft at Ghaziabad's Hindon Airport.

It has been reported that Hasina will travel to the United Kingdom, where she has requested political asylum. She decided to stay overnight in Delhi before continuing her journey to London.

What exactly is political asylum?

Political asylum, also known as protection from persecution, is a crucial measure countries take to protect individuals who face the threat of persecution in their home countries.

According to the UK government, individuals must apply for asylum if they wish to remain in the country as a refugee. Individuals forced to leave their homeland and face potential danger if they were to return are eligible to apply.

After being granted asylum, individuals are protected from being sent back to their home country.

According to a report by The Guardian, the UK government processed 112,000 claims for asylum last year.

Hasina's visit to India

Hasina has arrived in Delhi and will soon be heading to London. She met with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval at the Hindon Air Force base, 30km from Delhi.

Bangladesh has been dealing with ongoing student protests regarding the job quota system for over a month. Tragically, over 280 lives have been lost in the ongoing protests against the government, which first started in July.

Hasina's team contacted Indian authorities for a secure passage into Indian airspace, and their request was promptly granted.

She departed her official residence moments before a group of protesters forcefully entered. Cheers filled the air in Dhaka as word spread of Hasina's departure from the country.

The duration of the former PM's stay in India is still uncertain.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also provided PM Narendra Modi with a comprehensive update on Bangladesh's current situation.

Reports are suggesting that Hasina might be travelling to London. According to the reports, Hasina's ultimate destination is London.

According to a report from The Hindu, she has sought asylum in the UK. Her sister, who is travelling with her, is a citizen of the United Kingdom.

These refugees are outside the jurisdiction of their home governments or rulers until they violate British laws.

London has also extended asylum to other politicians, such as Tarique Rahman, the son of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Tarique Zia, in question, has been residing outside their home country in the United Kingdom. Since his mother's conviction and imprisonment by Hasina's government in 2018, the vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been leading the country's largest opposition party from London.

The BNP chose not to participate in the January elections, which resulted in Hasina being reelected for a fourth consecutive term. The opposition party strongly criticized the elections, labeling them as illegitimate.

There were allegations that Hasina's government focused on the opposition, activists, and civil society. Nevertheless, she vehemently refuted the allegations.

In light of recent developments, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has emphasized the importance of taking prompt measures to uphold democracy in Bangladesh.

There have been discussions regarding the possibility of the embattled leader seeking asylum in London. Still, Starmer's focus remains on safeguarding democratic principles.

The official spokesperson for Downing Street expressed the British Prime Minister's profound sadness regarding the recent surge of violence in Bangladesh.

As reported by the BBC, he expressed the hope that immediate measures be taken to ensure the triumph of democracy and expedite the progress toward peace and security for the people of Bangladesh.

In Whitechapel, a neighborhood in the UK capital with a prominent Bangladeshi community, several people took to the streets to express their joy over Hasina's removal, proudly waving the flag of their South Asian homeland, Bangladesh.

Members of the British Bangladeshi community in East London, Britain, express their reactions to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation on August 5, 2024.