Amit Shah meets S Jaishankar, Ajit Doval to discuss Bangladesh's situation
New Delhi/IBNS: Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval Tuesday to discuss the security situation in the country amid the massive turmoil in Bangladesh.
On Monday, Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and came to Delhi. Since then, security has been strengthened in border areas.
The situation in border areas has been delicate given the ongoing violence in the neighbouring country.
While the authorities have been directed to keep an eye on illegal migration, there is also concern about the condition of the Indians living in Bangladesh and the minorities of the Muslim-majority nation.
In a statement to the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, Jaishankar said there are around 19,000 Indian nationals living in Bangladesh, around 9,000 of whom are students. The bulk of students have already returned to India in the month of July on the advice of the High Commission.
The ministry, he said, has been in "close and continuous touch with the Indian community in Bangladesh through our diplomatic missions".
New Delhi, he said, is monitoring the situation about minorities.
"There 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," he said.
"Our border guarding forces have also been instructed to be exceptionally alert in view of this complex situation," Jaishankar said.
The situation in Bangladesh, the foreign minister added, is "still evolving".
"The Army Chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, addressed the nation on 5 August. He spoke about assuming responsibility and constituting an interim government," he said.
More than 300 people have died in Bangladesh in the violence that has been continuing since last month.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Tuesday made way for the formation of the interim government after officially dissolving the Parliament, a day after ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and escaped to India amid anti-government demonstrations in the country.
Bangladesh's key opposition leader and Sheikh Hasina's longtime political rival Khaleda Zia has been released from prison.
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