Inside India’s exercise to keep Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina safe

After 15 years in power, Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina was ousted. The country’s army gave her 45 minutes to resign. As anti-government protests became violent and the situation spiralled out of hand, Hasina realised that she would have to leave the country. She reached out to New Delhi, a trusted ally, seeking safe passage. Her request was accepted within minutes.

How did India help Hasina in the time of crisis? And what did she do after landing in the country? We explain.

Hasina’s exit from Bangladesh

After Hasina was forced to resign on Monday (6 August), she was offered a military helicopter by the Bangladesh army. She flew out of her official residence in Dhaka, ‘Ganabhaban’, which was stormed by protesters soon after she left. She was accompanied by her younger sister, Rehana.

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The Bangladesh leader headed to an army air base from where she reportedly boarded the C-130J military transport aircraft of the Bangladesh air force.

At first, there was only speculation that she was heading to India.

Indian forces ensure Hasian’s safe passage to the country

As the ousted Bangladesh PM was airborne, the flight, ‘AJAX1431’, became the most-tracked flight on Flightradar24.

Rumours swirled that she would be heading to Kolkata or Agartala. Around 3 pm, the aircraft was spotted flying near the Indian border.

The Indian radar reportedly kept a close eye on the plane as it entered the Indian airspace and flew over Kolkata. The flight moved towards Bihar and then landed at the Hindon airbase in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad.

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The Indian Air Force also swung into action. Two Rafale fighter aircraft were activated to provide any assistance to the flight in case of an emergency, top defence sources were quoted as saying by India Today.

The jets from the 101 Squadron at Hashimara Air Base in West Bengal were reportedly deployed over Bihar and Jharkhand. The flight was monitored closely by ground agencies. A constant communication was maintained between the plane and top Indian security officials.

“India started monitoring a C-130 aircraft with call sign AJAX1431, around 10 km from the Indian border with Bangladesh, and it was heading towards Delhi. The Bangladesh Air Force plane crossed Patna around 4 pm and reached near the UP-Bihar border,” sources told India Today.

Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal VR Chaudhari and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi were actively monitoring the situation. A top-level meeting of top security officials was also held with the involvement of intel agency chiefs, Gen Dwivedi and Integrated Defence Staff chief Lt Gen Johnson Philip Mathew, reports news agency ANI.

Hasina’s aircraft landed at Hindon Airbase around 5.45 pm on Monday (5 August). She was greeted by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

The C-130 aircraft, which ferried the Bangladesh leader, is parked near the Indian Air Force’s C-17 and C-130J Super Hercules aircraft hangars.

The Hindon Airbase was picked because of its proximity to Delhi; it is 30 km from the national capital. It would provide foolproof security to Hasina.

Watch: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Hindon Airbase pic.twitter.com/DpO8eiT8s5

— IANS (@ians_india) August 5, 2024

Hasina’s stay in India

After landing in India, Hasina held an hour-long meeting with Doval, discussing the current situation in Bangladesh and her future course of action. Senior military officials and officials of the intelligence agencies were also present, reports The Indian Express. She was then taken to a “safe house” in Delhi.

According to a report in PTI, Hasina is likely to meet her daughter Saima Wazed, who is based in Delhi. Wazed works as the World Health Organization’s regional director for South-East Asia.

For Hasina, India is only a temporary stop. She is reportedly seeking asylum in the UK .

Hasina is accompanied by her sister Rehana, who holds UK citizenship. However, the Bangladesh leader has not yet received any confirmation from London regarding political asylum.

The Bangladesh leader was expected to meet top Indian diplomats on Monday. However, there is no confirmation if she will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It is unclear how long Hasina will stay in India. However, sources told News18 that she is likely to stay until she gets asylum in the UK.

India on alert

On Monday night, the PM chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and took stock of the situation in the neighbouring nation. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and senior officials of intelligence agencies were present.

Earlier, Modi was briefed about the situation in Bangladesh by Jaishankar. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has also spoken with Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Parliament.

India’s Border Security Force is on high alert across the country’s 4,096 km border with Bangladesh. Field commanders have been ordered to take “on ground” positions and be prepared for anything.

Top government officials held a meeting on Monday to plan evacuation efforts for Indians stuck in Bangladesh, including high commission officials. The IAF will be roped in and the effort is likely to begin on Tuesday (August 6).

India has also heightened the security of Indian diplomatic facilities in Bangladesh. However, this is just the beginning. Challenges continue for New Delhi as the neighbouring nation is plunged into turmoil.

With inputs from agencies