London: The UK government demanded a United Nations-led investigation into the disturbances that resulted in the resignation of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina is requesting asylum, but this was not mentioned.
Following Hasina’s resignation and departure from Bangladesh on Monday, Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that the UK desired a “peaceful and democratic future” for the South Asian nation.
“The last two weeks in Bangladesh have seen unprecedented levels of violence and tragic loss of life… All sides must work together to restore calm under a transitional government,” David Lammy said in a statement on Monday.
“The people of Bangladesh deserve a full and independent UN-led investigation into the events of the past few weeks,” the UK Foreign Secretary said, adding that his country wants to “see action taken to ensure Bangladesh a peaceful and democratic future.”
“The UK and Bangladesh have deep people-to-people links and shared Commonwealth values,” he added.
Interestingly, India would provide full logistical support to Hasina while she applies for asylum in the UK. Since her move to the UK is still pending, her stay in India is only authorised temporarily.
Hours after leaving her position, Hasina touched down at the Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad on Monday. Meanwhile, thousands of demonstrators descended upon and defaced ‘Ganabhaban,’ the official Prime Ministerial residence in the capital city of Dhaka.
More than 1,000 people were injured, and over 100 people were confirmed dead in Sunday’s skirmishes between police and demonstrators.
Over the past two weeks, Hasina’s government has come under intense pressure from the student-led non-cooperation movement.
The students were demonstrating against a thirty percent reservation in government jobs for the kin of freedom fighters who forced Bangladesh to gain its independence from Pakistan in a brutal civil war in 1971. Three million people were allegedly killed in this genocide, which was carried out by Pakistani troops and their allies, according to officials in Dhaka.
IANS
