- By Radha Basnet
- Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:17 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Amid ongoing speculation that ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in Delhi, may fly to London, the UK Home Office stated that the British immigration rules do not allow individuals to travel to the country to seek asylum or temporary refuge.
"The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it. However, there is no provision for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach - that is the fastest route to safety," a UK Home Office spokesperson told NDTV.
The former Bangladesh Prime Minister, along with her sister Sheikh Rehana, had planned to leave India for London to seek temporary refuge. However, this option is no longer being pursued after the UK government indicated that she may not receive legal protection against potential investigations into the massive violent protests in her country, PTI reported.
The 76-year-old Hasina has been in New Delhi since Monday after being forced to resign as Prime Minister that evening. She fled Dhaka, fearing for her safety amid violent protests against government job quotas. She landed at the Hindon airbase in a C-130J military transport aircraft, and has been shifted to an unspecified location under tight security.
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The Awami League leader, accompanied by her younger sister Sheikh Rehana who is a UK citizen which could be useful to claim asylum in that country, had planned to travel to London through India. Hasina decided to travel to UK as Rehana's daughter Tulip Siddiq is a member of the British Parliament. Tulip is economic secretary to the Treasury and Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate.
Hasina fled the country amid massive public anger over her government's controversial quota system reserving 30 per cent jobs for families of veterans who fought the 1971 liberation war. More than 400 people have been killed in the protests.