By Afshain Afzal

The whereabouts of 77 years-old Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina Wajed are not known to anyone, no one heard a single word since her arrest; she is a prisoner of conscience. It all started and nations turned against her when she delivered her first speech at the 14-party meeting at the Gono Bhaban, Dhaka on 23 May 2024. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “I was offered a hassle-free reelection in the 7th January polls if she allowed a foreign country to build a military airbase in Bangladesh territory. Told that a plot is in progress to carve out a Christian state like East Timor, comprising of parts from Bangladesh and Myanmar with base in the Bay of Bengal.” Aftermath many nations turned against her and staged a conspiracy against her for her illegal and undemocratic kidnapping. The whereabouts of other politicians loyal to her are also not known.

On 5 August 2024, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Bangladesh Army Chief confirming Prime Minister Hasina Wajed’s resignation disclosed that she landed at Indian Airforce Base Hindon in Ghaziabad and is being closely monitored by Indian security agencies. The inside circle claimed on the condition of anonymity that Prime Minister Hasina Wajed refused to render resignation and declined to leave for India or any other country so she was forcibly removed to an unknown location. In the recent month India has expelled a large number of non-Indians and pushed them to Bangladesh as illegals; they were also seen in the protests.

On the other hand, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval confirmed, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina along with her family left Dhaka on C130J transport aircraft of Bangladesh Air Force on 5 August 2024, and landed at the Indian Air Force Base, Hindon near Gaziabad, New Delhi at around 5:45 pm. The Indian Air Defence radars kept a close watch on the aircraft as it entered Indian airspace and flew over Kolkata. Indian Air Force personnel also activated two Rafale fighter aircraft to provide any assistance to the flight in case of any emergency. The officials of the IAF and other agencies of the Government of India received her after the aircraft with Prime Minister Hasina, her sister Rehana as well as others close to the family onboard at the Indian Airforce Base, Hindon.”

Amnesty International’s Regional Director for South Asia Smriti Singh in a statement said, “It’s an opportune moment for any new interim government in Bangladesh to show solidarity with its people, protect the most vulnerable and not repeat the mistakes of the past.” US State Department spokesman welcoming the announcement of the formation of the interim government has declared that America stands with the people of Bangladesh in the wake of the recent political upheaval in Bangladesh and suggested that the interim government should be democratic and multi-party. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won the January 2024 elections for the fourth consecutive term and is enjoying the 3/4th majority. Her party Awami League and the allies won 225 of 300 parliamentary seats contested while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the allies boycotted the elections. She is to remain Prime Minister of Bangladesh till 2029. One wonders is this not the slaughter of democracy, violation of human rights and UNO Charter where foreign nations are directly interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. The human rights organizations, the UNO and  the European Union must investigate the whereabouts of the democratically elected Prime Minister. The people of Pakistan have great respect for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family. Pakistan welcomes Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed and her family to come to her own country “Pakistan” and reside at her residence at East Pakistan House.