US reacts to Hasina Wazed's ouster, situation in Bangladesh

Washington DC: The United States (US) reacted to the ouster of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed and the situation in the South Asian country.

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement said that the US is closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh.

Matthew Miller said that the US also welcomes the announcement of an interim government in Bangladesh and stands with the people of the country.

The US State Department spokesperson urged all parties in Bangladesh to refrain from violence and work towards a peaceful resolution.

Matthew Miller expressed concern over the loss of lives in Bangladesh over the past few weeks. He said that the reports of human rights violations in Bangladesh, resulting in deaths are disturbing.

The US State Department spokesperson expressed condolences to those who have lost loved ones in the violence.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, who resigned as Bangladesh Prime Minister Bangladesh (PM) after facing widespread protests and pressure from the military, met India National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval.

The meeting was held at Hindon Airbase, the local media reported however details of the meeting between Sheikh Hasina Wazed and Ajit Doval have not surfaced as yet.

Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, left Ganabhaban (the prime minister’s official residence) in Dhaka earlier on Monday and arrived in Agartala, northeastern India.

“India is prepared to provide Sheikh Hasina Wazed with a safe passage,” the media reports said. Sheikh Hasina Wazed and her sister traveled in a military chopper to reach India.

Read More: Bangladesh’s history of upheaval and coups

The former prime minister wanted to record a speech but she was not allowed to do so as the Bangladeshi Army gave her a 45-minute deadline to resign.

Reportedly, at least 300 people died as a result of the demonstrations and violence that have rocked Bangladesh since late July.

Student protest organisations called for the removal of a contentious government employment quota system. This demand has grown into a drive to remove Sheikh Hasina Wazed, who was elected to a fourth term in a row in January 2024 despite the opposition’s boycott.