Former Bangladeshi Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak was detained at an airport in the country’s capital Dhaka while attempting to flee to New Delhi, local media outlets reported Tuesday.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, Palak, who served as the IT Minister in the recently ousted Awami League government, was detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by the airport’s staff and customs officials. Palak was allegedly attempting to flee to neighboring India, where former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is reportedly staying following her resignation Monday, in the wake of nationwide violence and protests.
Former PM Hasina’s resignation represents a potential turning point for Bangladesh after a period marked by political instability, violence, protests, and civil unrest, catalyzed by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh’s reinstating of a 30 percent quota for government job recruitment for descendants of freedom fighters, which reversed a 2018 decision. Protests, led by student activists, quickly escalated as a result of the government’s violent response. Other factors, including the public’s dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of issues such as prolonged economic downturn, reports of corruption, and alleged human rights violations, further aggravated the situation.
The government, in its attempts to suppress the protests, shut down universities and other educational institutions, as well as deployed the armed forces and declared a nationwide shoot-at-sight curfew, followed by an unprecedented nationwide internet and data blackout and ban on social media sites, including Facebook and WhatsApp. As of August 2, a reported 215 individuals are confirmed dead, with more than 20.000 injured and 11.000 arrested or detained throughout the country.
Following Palak’s detention, reports have emerged of several other ministers and members of Hasina’s cabinet attempting to flee, amid escalating violence within the South-Asian country. India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has also issued a ‘high alert’ notice along the India-Bangladesh border.
