Bangladesh Crisis: NSA Ajit Doval Briefs PM Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh After Meeting Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval after arriving at Hindon Air Force base in Ghaziabad Uttar Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed by NSA and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the situation. There is no confirmation yet if PM Modi will meet Mrs Hasina.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, also spoke with Mr Jaishankar briefly on the sidelines of Parliament. The 76-year-old five-time Prime Minister resigned after violent protests over a government job quota left more than 300 people dead.

Sheikh Hasina's Next Steps

According to the reports Sheikh Hasina is expected to leave for London, where she may seek political asylum. Her plane, a Bangladesh Air Force C-130 military transport, will be parked near Indian Air Force aircraft hangars. The plane is currently being refuelled for the flight to London.

India's Border Security Force is on high alert along the 4,096 km border with Bangladesh. Field commanders have been ordered to take "on ground" positions and be prepared for any situation. A 12-hour night-time curfew is in effect in Meghalaya.

Transport Disruptions

Indian Railways has halted all trains to Bangladesh, and Air India has cancelled its two daily flights to Dhaka. IndiGo has suspended all flights for the next 30 hours due to the situation in Dhaka. "We understand this may cause significant inconvenience and disruption to your travel plans, and we sincerely regret this development," IndiGo stated.

#6ETravelAdvisory: In view of the ongoing situation in #Dhaka, all flights scheduled for tomorrow have unfortunately been cancelled. We understand that this may cause significant inconvenience and disruption to your travel plans and we sincerely regret this development.- IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 5, 2024

Vistara, which operates flights from Mumbai, is monitoring the situation but has not announced any cancellations yet. Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport had closed its operations for six hours earlier today.

Military Intervention

The Bangladesh Army took control after giving Sheikh Hasina 45 minutes to resign when her government couldn't control the violence. Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced on television that the military would form an "interim government" and urged protesters to stop their actions.

"There is a crisis. I have met Opposition leaders and we have decided to form an interim government to run this country. I take all responsibility and promise to protect your life and property. Your demands will be fulfilled. Please stop the violence," said General Waker-Uz-Zaman.

Protests Escalate

Earlier today, protesters stormed Gonobhaban, the Dhaka residence of Sheikh Hasina. Local media estimated around 400,000 protesters were on the streets, though it was difficult to verify this number. Soldiers and police barricaded routes with barbed wire but were overwhelmed by vast crowds tearing down barriers.

The protests began late last month over a quota system reserving up to 30 per cent of government jobs for family members of veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 war against Pakistan. The Supreme Court reduced these reservations to 5 per cent, temporarily calming tensions until student leaders claimed their demands were ignored.

Casualties Mount

The clashes between police and protesters resulted in over 100 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries on Sunday alone. Since then, the death toll has surpassed 300 as violent confrontations continued between students, police, and counter-protesters.

The unrest escalated dramatically over recent days with scenes of vehicles and buildings set ablaze by rampaging mobs flooding social media feeds worldwide.

The veteran politician had fled by then as her residence was stormed by enraged protesters demanding her resignation amidst escalating violence across Dhaka streets.

This article includes input from various agencies ensuring comprehensive coverage of ongoing events in Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina's resignation amid massive protests.