Photo: Collected
Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now living in a Lutyens Bungalow in India’s New Delhi after fleeing the mass uprising in Dhaka on August 5.
Indian officials confirmed on Thursday that Hasina relocated from Hindon Air Force Base in Uttar Pradesh to a secure bungalow in central Delhi, near India Gate and Khan Market, reports Hindustan Times.
Her residence is reportedly an Intelligence Bureau (IB) safehouse, heavily guarded due to ongoing death threats against her.
The Print news outlet first reported her relocation, and Hindustan Times confirmed that multiple layers of security surround her residence, with central agency officials and Delhi Police commandos ensuring safety.
For nearly two decades, Hasina lived in a 3,600-square-metre palace in Dhaka, built for Queen Elizabeth II. However, student-led protests on August 5 deposed her, forcing her to seek refuge in India. She faces an arrest warrant in Bangladesh and accusations of atrocities during her tenure, the report said.
The bungalow's security includes "watchers and spotters" from the Delhi Police commando unit and central agencies. An official disclosed that a Delhi Police sub-inspector was initially assigned to the IB and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) when Hasina was transferred from Hindon.
The sub-inspector was strictly instructed not to share any details about the operation, even with senior officers, and was removed from the security detail after a few days as IB and MEA officials took over, it said.
Hasina's daughter, Saima Wazed, a World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director based in Delhi, is also under security cover. The two have met discreetly in recent months under stringent protocols, the report also added.
Previously, Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, lived in Delhi for six years following the assassination of their father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1975.
Hasina, Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister since 2009, has faced criticism for alleged political repression and economic turmoil. The unrest ultimately led to her overthrow, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus now heading the interim government, the report said.
The Financial Times reported Hasina's recent appearance at Lodhi Garden, indicating that while she remains under heavy security, she has made occasional public outings.
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