PM Modi Chairs Key CCS Meet Amid Bangladesh Crisis, Gets Updates On Situation

PC: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence. PM Modi received updates on the situation in Bangladesh. The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and senior officials.

Bangladesh's PM Sheikh Hasina, having resigned amid escalating protests, discussed the ongoing situation in Bangladesh and her next steps with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad upon her arrival in India on Monday evening.

The Indian Air Force is on high alert across all eastern sectors due to the current events. Doval, along with senior military officials, met with Sheikh Hasina at Hindon Airbase, where she is being provided security by the Indian Air Force and other agencies before being relocated to a secure place.

Jaishankar had earlier briefed PM Modi on the political turmoil, sparked primarily by student-led protests against the government job quota system, which escalated into broader anti-government demonstrations. Prothom Alo reported that the clashes in Dhaka on Sunday resulted in at least 95 fatalities, including 14 police officers, and left hundreds injured.

Sheikh Hasina arrived at Hindon Air Base near New Delhi on a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft on Monday evening. Security has been intensified around the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi following her and her sister's departure from Bangladesh on Monday morning due to the unrest. According to The Daily Star, protesters breached the gates of Gono Bhaban and stormed the Prime Minister's residence around 3 pm today.

Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman made a televised statement that there is a period of political transition and an interim government will be formed.Nahid Islam, a coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, said that the outline of the interim national government will be formulated within the next 24 hours.

Earlier on August 3, organisers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced a single-point demand for the resignation of Hasina and her cabinet members. Nahid Islam announced the demand at a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar.