Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to stay in India for longer than expected, according to top government sources. The stay will, however, be on visa and not in asylum or refugee category, they added.
Hasina resigned as the prime minister and fled the country with her sister Sheikh Rehana, following violent protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs. She flew to the Hindon air base, near Delhi, in a Bangladesh military aircraft on Monday, reports News18.
There were reports that they were seeking asylum in the United Kingdom (UK), where Rehana’s daughter Tulip Siddiq is a Member of the British Parliament for the Labor Party. However, it hasn’t worked out so far.
The United States, too, reportedly revoked Hasina’s visa. She is now exploring her options for asylum in the UAE and European countries.
“Her safe departure to any country is not working out right now. We don’t have asylum or refugee laws in India. We have deliberately not brought in such laws,” said sources. “The legal position is we can’t keep anyone on refugee or asylum status. The Dalai Lama is here because of government policy,” sources said.
According to sources, asylum and refugee laws are creating problems worldwide. “Once you give refugee and asylum status, they demand their rights and go to courts. This creates more problems. We allow stay on a case-to-case basis, but don’t have a law as such,” said sources.
