Sheikh Hasina Still In India, But Daughter ‘Can’t See And Hug Her’

By OB Bureau On Aug 8, 2024

(File photo) Sheikh Hasina with daughter Saima Wazed (right) in New Delhi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last oath-taking ceremony in June this year

New Delhi: Daughter of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Saima Wazed on Thursday said she was ‘heartbroken’ with the loss of life in her country and that she could not ‘see and hug her mother’ after she fled the violence-hit neighbouring nation. Saima is the Regional Director for South East Asia of World Health Organization (WHO).

“Heartbroken with the loss of life in my country that I love. So heartbroken that I cannot see and hug my mother during this difficult time. I remain committed to my role as RD @WHOSEARO @WHO #HealthForAll #OneWHO,” she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Heartbroken with the loss of life in my country 🇧🇩 that I love. So heartbroken that I cannot see and hug my mother during this difficult time. I remain committed to my role as RD @WHOSEARO @WHO #HealthForAll #OneWHO

— Saima Wazed (@drSaimaWazed) August 8, 2024

Following massive students’ protests over job quota in Bangladesh, Hasina, 76, was forced to resign as Prime Minister. She fled Dhaka reportedly in a military chopper after the Army gave her a 45-minute ultimatum. The protests had killed at least 400 in the country, according to reports.

Hasina’s chopper had landed in Hindon air base near New Delhi and later returned towards Bangladesh without carrying her. According to reports, she was staying in a ‘safe house’ in India and had National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, had met her at the air base.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said the government was giving time to Hasina to ‘recover’ and let them know about her next move. ‘At very short notice, she requested approval to come for the moment to India. We simultaneously received a request for flight clearance from the Bangladesh authorities,’ the minister had said, according to a Mint report.

There were speculations that she had sought asylum in London. But, reports suggested that the UK had not granted her the permission. However, her son Sajeeb Wazed refuted such claims by stating that she hadn’t sought any asylum in the United Kingdom.

Reports had previously claimed that Hasina was planning to travel to London as her sister Sheikh Rehana’s daughter Tulip Siddiq is a member of the British Parliament. Tulip is Economic Secretary to the Treasury and Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate. But, the UK’s Immigration rules have no provision for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge.