Manish Tewari raises B'desh issue in LS, questions Centre on South Asia stability

New Delhi : Congress MP Manish Tewari on Tuesday raised concerns about the political instability in Bangladesh and questioned the Centre on the steps taken to maintain stability in South Asia.

During a discussion on matters of urgent public importance in the Lok Sabha, Tewari highlighted India's "special relationship" with Bangladesh.

He said, "...India has a special relationship with Bangladesh. In 1971, India played a significant role in the formation of Bangladesh, changing the geographical map of South Asia. The current situation in Bangladesh is a matter of concern."

He highlighted the political developments in Bangladesh, stating, "In January 2024, under the leadership of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League formed the government for the fourth time. After almost six months, protests led to a situation where Sheikh Hasina had to resign and flee the country."

Tewari also pointed out similar instances of political instability in other South Asian countries, including Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Pakistan, where military control is increasing over civil governments. "China's influence in the western Indian Ocean has also significantly increased. Since India is the most important nation in South Asia, instability in the region will directly affect India."

The Congress MP also questioned the Centre government about the steps it has undertaken to "maintain political stability" in South Asia.

The Bangladesh issue remained a key point of concern in the House.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar chaired an all-party meeting on the situation in violence-struck Bangladesh, during which he said that India was keeping a close watch on the developments in the neighbouring country. He informed all the political parties about the safety of Indian nationals residing there and the steps taken by the Union government.

On Monday, Sheikh Hasina landed at Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad hours after resigning as the country's Prime Minister and leaving Dhaka en route to Delhi.

She arrived in India on a military transport plane of the Bangladesh Air Force as thousands of protesters stormed and vandalized 'Ganabhaban,' the official residence of the Prime Minister in Dhaka.

Reports indicate that over 100 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured in clashes between police and protesters on Sunday.

The student-led non-cooperation movement has put immense pressure on Hasina's government over the past few weeks.

Students were protesting against a 30 per cent reservation in government jobs for relatives of freedom fighters who wrested independence for Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971.