If Sheikh Hasina wishes to stay in India, govt likely to consider it favourably, says Former envoy

Sheikh Hasina has been a good friend of India and if she wishes to stay on the central government is likely to consider it very favourably a former high commissioner of India to Bangladesh said on TuesdayHasina landed at the Hindon airbase near Delhi on Monday as part of her plan to go to London hours after she resigned as the Bangladesh prime minister following weeks of antigovernment protests that killed nearly 300 peopleThe embattled Bangladesh leaders plan to travel to London has hit a roadblock over some uncertainties and she is unlikely to move out of India for the next couple of days people familiar with the matter said on TuesdayVeena Sikri the former envoy said India has always helped the people of Bangladesh in all problemsSheikh Hasina the Awami League the forces of Liberation I am going back to 1971 they have always been friends with India And I am taking you to 1971India the Awami League and Muktijodha fought shouldertoshoulder for the liberation of BangladeshThere has been a great empathy and understandingmutual friendship mutual respect and mutual understanding between the Awami League and India between the people of Bangladesh and India And India has always helped them in all problems Sikri told PTISo right now when Sheikh Hasina has been forced to leave her country and she is now in India if she wishes to stay in India I am sure our government will consider it very favourably Sikri addedThe veteran diplomat said Hasina has stayed in India before after the assassination of her father and Bangladesh independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who later became the countrys prime minister Rahman was assassinated in August 1975She was in India for a long time she was in India for many years and then she went back to Bangladesh and became a leader of the Awami League This question whether she should stay or not be left for a little while to let her decide let the situation evolve Sikri saidThe former envoy further said they know former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been a good friend of India And she has worked very closely with people of India all acrosswith all the states West Bengal Assam Meghalaya So I dont think there is any problem in thatIf she should be staying it is up to her right now There is a news that she would like to go to London to stay with her sister who lives in London That is one aspect maybe they are awaiting clearance from the government of the UK All these issues are there it is a very volatile and complex situation she saidFrom my point of view if she is staying on in India there would be no major problem she addedHasina 76 resigned as prime minister of Bangladesh and left the country amid unprecedented mass protests against her governmentShe later arrived in India on her way to London diplomatic sources had said on MondayAsked if presence of Hasina in India will impact ties with the new dispensation that will come up Sikri said that as far as other political parties are concerned whether it is BNP Bangladesh Nationalist Party or JamaatiIslami Bangaldesh their views on India are wellknownBut it is not that we dont talk to them we are in touch with all political parties I myself have been there as a high commissioner And I was always in touch with all political groupsAt that time the BNP was in power So I was fully in touch with then Prime Minister with all ministers of the government JamaatiIslami and also Awami League Sheikh Hasina was the leader of opposition but I was in touch with her too closely in touch with her she addedI think in any country it is important to keep in touch with all political forces the former envoy to Dhaka saidPankaj Saran another veteran diplomat who served as envoy of India to Bangladesh from 20122015 on Monday told PTI I think it is clear that there are political forces who are using students grievances as an opportunity to settle political scores Sikri too has said that had it been purely a student movement it would have petered out after the government responded to its demand As the situation remains volatile on IndiaBangladesh ties she said We will have to see how it developsI am sure that the relationship between India and Bangladesh can continue to develop on the basis of mutual respect mutual understanding mutual benefit and mutual sensitivities We have to be aware of each others interests she addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever