Awami League Vice President Dr. Rabbi Alam has expressed deep concerns over the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, stating that the country is “under attack” and calling for international intervention. Speaking to news agency ANI in Kolkata, Alam, a close associate of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, extended gratitude to India for providing shelter and safe passage.
He specifically thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for facilitating Sheikh Hasina’s travel and ensuring her safety.
“Bangladesh is under attack, and it needs to be addressed by the international community. A political uprising is fine, but that is not what has been going on in Bangladesh. This is a terrorist uprising… Many of our leaders are sheltered here in India, and we are very thankful to the Indian government for providing the alignment. I also thank PM Narendra Modi for providing a safe travel passage for our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We are thankful to the people of India,” he said.
“We want to ask the Bangladesh Advisor to step down and go back to where he came from,” he added. He claimed that the younger generation in Bangladesh had been “manipulated” into making a mistake. “… Sheikh Hasina is coming back as the Prime Minister. The young generation has made a mistake, but that’s not their fault; they have been manipulated…,” said Alam.
Sheikh Hasina’s residence among seized properties
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of Sheikh Hasina’s residence, ‘Sudhasadan,’ in Dhanmondi, along with other family properties and 124 bank accounts linked to her relatives.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed an application that led to the court’s ruling, issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Ghalib. The seized assets also belong to Hasina’s son Sajib Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana, and her nieces Tulip Siddique and Radwan Mujib Siddique.
Bangladesh asks India to rein in Hasina’s statements on social media
Amid these developments, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a strong protest with India, urging New Delhi to curb Hasina’s “false and incendiary statements” on social media. The protest note, delivered to India’s Acting High Commissioner in Dhaka, emphasised that such remarks were inciting instability and hurting public sentiment.
Earlier this year, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued arrest warrants against Sheikh Hasina and 10 others, including former Defence Adviser Major General (Retd.) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, over allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power on August 5, following weeks of student-led protests and violent clashes that claimed over 600 lives. After fleeing to India, an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed in Bangladesh.