Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday told in an all-party meeting in the Parliament House that they were in regular touch with the authorities in Dhaka as situation in Bangladesh was still evolving.
Indian border guarding forces had also been instructed to be exceptionally in view of this complex situation, he said while briefing all-party leaders on the situation in Bangladesh, a day after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India amid mass uprising聽 led by student protesters.
鈥楢t very short notice, she requested approval to come for the moment to India. We simultaneously received a request for flight clearance from Bangladesh authorities. She arrived yesterday evening in Delhi,鈥� Jaishankar said in the meeting, adding that they were also monitoring the situation with regard to the status of minorities.
鈥楾here are reports of initiatives by various groups and organisations to ensure their protection and well-being. We welcome that, but will naturally remain deeply concerned till law and order is visibly restored,鈥� he said in a statement available on the ministry鈥檚 website.
鈥業 seek the understanding and support of the House in regard to sensitive issues regarding an important neighbour on which there has always been strong national consensus,鈥� he said.
Jaishankar also told the all-party meeting that India had assured help to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who arrived here on Monday evening, and given her time to decide the future course of action, the Press Trust of India reported on Tuesday.
Mentioning that the violence continued through the month of July, the external affairs minister said, 鈥楾hroughout this period, we repeatedly counselled restraint and urged that the situation be defused through dialogue. Similar urgings were made to various political forces with whom we were in touch.鈥�
鈥極n 5th August, demonstrators converged in Dhaka despite the curfew. Our understanding is that after a meeting with leaders of the security establishment, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apparently made the decision to resign,鈥� he observed before the Parliament House.
He also said they were in close and continuous touch with the Indian community in Bangladesh through their diplomatic missions.
There are an estimated 19,000 Indian nationals in Bangladesh, of which about 9,000 are students, according to the statement.