Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, a staunch critic of communalism, has made a big statement about ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid student-led protests. She has described Sheikh Hasina’s escape from the country as an irony. Nasreen said that Hasina had thrown me out of Bangladesh to “please the Islamists”, and the “same Islamists” who were part of the student movement have now forced Hasina herself to leave the country.
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Taslima Nasreen had already said in a post, accusing Sheikh Hasina of “enhancing Islamists” and allowing those involved in corruption to flourish. She also spoke against the army rule in her country and advocated democracy. Taslima said that today “Hasina had to resign and leave the country. She was responsible for her own situation. She allowed Islamists to grow. She allowed her people to get involved in corruption. Now Bangladesh should not become like Pakistan. The army should not rule. Political parties should bring back democracy and secularism.” Nasreen had to leave Bangladesh in 1994 after fundamentalist organisations threatened to kill her over her book “Lajja”. The 1993 book was banned in Bangladesh but became a bestseller elsewhere. Jailed Hasina’s arch rival Khaleda Zia was the prime minister at the time.
Sheikh Hasina resigns
Bangladesh witnessed the deadliest violent protest on Sunday in which nearly 100 protesters died in clashes with the police. As a result, protesters vandalised the prime minister’s residence on Monday. In a change of events, Sheikh Hasina kept herself away from direct confrontation and resigned from her post and left the country in a military plane. The country’s army chief called a press conference a few hours later and announced that an interim government would be formed to run the country.
Sheikh Hasina has reached India where she landed at Hindon Air Force base in India, about 30 km from the country’s capital Delhi. According to sources, she is likely to go to London where she will She may seek asylum. She said her plane was being refuelled for a flight to London.
