Sheikh Hasina had fled Dhaka amid violent protests
Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has had her US visa revoked and is now exploring asylum options in the UAE and European countries, according to media reports.
Hasina fled Dhaka amid ongoing mass protests in her home country that forced her to resign over a controversial employment-quota law. Over the past weeks student demonstrations in Bangladesh have escalated into violent clashes resulting in over 400 deaths.
Reports that the US has revoked Hasina’s visa emerged after the former prime minister left Bangladesh for India on Monday.
Washington and Dhaka reportedly saw a productive partnership during Hasina’s long-lasting tenure, cooperating in security and refugee issues. The US is also the largest importer of Bangladeshi products, with purchases totalling $8.3 billion in 2021.
However, over the past years Washington and other Western governments have expressed concerns over the political climate in Bangladesh.
US President Joe Biden administration labeled the recent general elections in Bangladesh as “unfair and not free” and, last year, imposed visa restrictions on Bangladeshi officials and politicians.
The US embassy in Dhaka has declined to comment on Hasina’s current visa status, saying that visa records are confidential under US law.
“…And therefore, we do not discuss the details of individual visa cases,” a spokesperson from the US embassy told the Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday.
Hasina has also reportedly sought asylum in the UK. However, London has turned down the request.
“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,” the UK Home Office told NDTV on Tuesday.
