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News18
3 days ago
- General
- News18
Sheikh Hasina's Secret Flight: Inside Ex-Bangladesh PM's Midnight Escape To India
Last Updated: Citing civil and military aviation sources, the newspaper reported that the change in flight path was a deliberate decision intended to avoid attention. A recent report published by The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi newspaper, shed light on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's departure from Dhaka on August 5, 2024. The report claimed that a Bangladesh Air Force aircraft carrying Sheikh Hasina was initially scheduled to land in Kolkata but was redirected mid-flight to the Hindon Air Force Station near Delhi. Military 'Training' Flight Used Citing civil and military aviation sources, the newspaper reported that the change in flight path was a deliberate decision intended to avoid attention amid escalating unrest in Bangladesh. The flight, designated as a military 'training flight," took off from the Bangabandhu Air Force Base in Dhaka shortly after 3 p.m. local time. First Destination Choice For Sheikh Hasina Was Kolkata Although a flight plan had been filed for Kolkata and shared with Indian authorities- including a transponder squawk code of 4131- the aircraft turned off its transponders after takeoff. This effectively removed the flight from civilian radar systems while maintaining communication with ground control for safety. The transponders were reactivated near the Bangladesh-India border, at which point Dhaka air traffic control handed the flight over to its counterpart in Kolkata, following standard airspace transition procedures. The Flight Landed In Delhi Then The aircraft appeared to be on course for Kolkata until shortly before crossing into Indian airspace when it changed direction toward Delhi. This route was likely selected to minimize time on the ground in Bangladesh during a volatile period, the report claimed. Indian authorities had granted overflight and landing permission in advance, in response to a request from the Bangladesh side. The aircraft eventually landed at the Hindon Air Force base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Who Were On Board Sheikh Hasina's Flight? Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and close aides were on board as the situation in Dhaka had deteriorated significantly with widespread violence and reports of attacks on police stations and members of the then-ruling Awami League. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: June 03, 2025, 15:32 IST
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Transponders off, tensions on: How Sheikh Hasina pulled off dramatic escape from Bangladesh
In a meticulously orchestrated operation, former Bangladesh Prime Minister departed Dhaka on August 5, 2024, under a veil of secrecy, amid escalating political unrest. She landed at Hindon Airport in India. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hasina's aircraft remained the most tracked plane that day. As per real-time data from the flightradar24 website, Bangladesh Air Force aircraft AJAX1431 become the most tracked plane globally, with over 29,000 people following its route at one point of time. Here's how the escape took place: The Bangladesh Air Force's Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, designated AJAX1431, took off from Bangabandhu Airbase at 3.09pm, officially listed as a training flight. To obscure its trajectory, the aircraft's transponders and automatic geolocator systems were deactivated until it neared Indian airspace over West Bengal, The Daily Star reported citing sources. Upon approaching Indian airspace, AJAX1431 reactivated its transponders at waypoint "BEMAK" and altered its course from Kolkata to Hindon Air Force Base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. This clandestine departure occurred just 30 minutes before protesters seized the Gono Bhaban, Hasina's official residence. Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman, unaware of Hasina's departure, was preparing to announce her resignation. In a later interview, he acknowledged the volatile situation and the potential risks to Hasina's life had she remained in the country. "When I was holding discussions with the political parties, somebody informed me that she is going to exit the country, she is on the run. I did not know that she was leaving the country. I think that if she had stayed, it could have been a risk to her life. Definitely, nobody would have wanted an extra-judicial killing to have happened. The situation was extremely volatile," he said.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Secret Flight Plan, Radio Silence: How Ex PM Sheikh Hasina Fled Bangladesh
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina's escape on August 5, 2024, involved a secret flight from Dhaka to Ghaziabad, with transponders switched off and a fake Kolkata flight plan, to minimise attention amid violent protests. New Delhi: A Bangladesh daily has published details of ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 's dramatic escape from Dhaka on August 5, 2024, and confirms what sources at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose airport told this reporter - her military transport planned to land in the city but changed course. It eventually landed at the Hindon Air Force base in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. This, as it now appears, was calculated to avoid unwarranted attention. Media houses in India, including NDTV, initially reported she was en route to Kolkata. The plane made the detour to Delhi late - appearing to be on course for Kolkata till the last minute - because it wanted to spend as little time as possible in Bangladesh airspace. Aviation experts have confirmed planes flying from Dhaka to Delhi spend more time in Bangladeshi airspace than those to Kolkata. The Dhaka-Kolkata route a direct flightpath to the west while that to Delhi is north-westerly and spends more time in Bangladesh-controlled skies. Civil aviation sources told the Bangladeshi daily, The Daily Star, there is a hotline between Air Traffic Control in Dhaka and Kolkata to notify each other about approaching planes. The plane was designated as a 'training flight' to avoid drawing attention to her fleeing the country as a violent crowd - allegedly intent on murder - her was taking over the Gana Bhavan. ARCHIVES | Bangladesh Protesters Storm Sheikh Hasina's Palace Amid Clashes The Gana Bhavan is the former Prime Minister's official residence in Dhaka. What Happened That Day? The plane took off from the Bangladesh Air Force's Bangabandhu base a little after 3pm, after filing a fight plan to Kolkata. It was given a 'squawk code' of 4131 - the unique four-digit code assigned by an Air Traffic Control - and this was shared with Kolkata ATC, the 'destination'. However, after take-off from Dhaka, the plane turned off it transponders. which transmit identifying details like the aircraft's 'squawk code', altitude, speed, and location. It was now 'invisible' to ATC radars, whether in Dhaka, Kolkata, or anywhere else, although communication was maintained with ground control to ensure safe passage of the flight. On board were Sheikh Hasina, her sister, and others. ARCHIVES | Sheikh Rehana, Hasina's Lifelong Shadow After Massacre Killed Family The transponders were switched on only near the Bengal border, at which point Dhaka handed the plane off to Kolkata, which means the pilot had to contact the ATC to announce his arrival. This is standard practice and is usually done when a flight is close to the border. At this point Indian aviation authorities began tracking the plane - a Bangladesh Air Force C-130J aircraft - which was around 10km from the international border. Green Light From Delhi India's permission had been sought and secured; Sheikh Hasina was cleared to fly to India as the situation in Bangladesh had worsened with protesters baying for blood. ARCHIVES | Sheikh Hasina Meets NSA Doval Near Delhi, May Seek UK Asylum Police stations had been attacked and members of the then-ruling Awami League were also being targeted to complete the breakdown of law and order, leading to anarchy and violence. Hours after her plane took off from Dhaka, the ex-PM was in Ghaziabad, her arrival confirmed, after much speculation over her whereabouts, by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Economic Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
India sends a billion-dollar message to Bangladesh
A few weeks ago, ALM Fazlur Rahman, a retired major general and an adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, kicked up a storm with his Facebook post after the Pahalgam terror attack when India was planning to attack terror infrastructure in Pakistan. 'If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy seven states of North East India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint military system with China," he wrote in Bangla. Though the Bangladesh government distanced itself from his remarks, they indicated a developing threat for India on its eastern and unstable, Bangladesh is emerging as a threat to peace in India's northeast. Ever since toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government last year, Bangladesh has adopted an inimical posture towards India as hardliners took control of the country, attacking Hindu minority and members of Hasina's party which has recently been banned. Threat to India's northeastern statesBangladesh's interim government chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, while he was on a four-day visit to China in March, invited Beijing to make an "extension" in the region while mentioning that the seven northeastern states of India remain encouraged the Chinese government to establish an economic base in Bangladesh, emphasising that Dhaka is the "sole guardian of the ocean" in the region. "Seven states of India, eastern part of India, called seven sisters ... they are landlocked country, landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean," Yunus said in the video."We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the whole rest of the world," Yunus said. The remark drew concern in India, particularly given China's persistent territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as 'South Tibet' in official maps, and its continued practice of unilaterally renaming locations in the state. The indication by Yunus of Bangladesh welcoming Chinese influence in India's northeast assumed gravity with the news that China may assist Bangladesh in reviving a World War II-era airbase at Lalmonirhat in Rangpur Division, located just 12-15 km from the Indian border. Some Chinese officials recently visited the site, as per a TOI report. The airfield, currently under the control of the Bangladesh Air Force, has remained inactive for decades. Dhaka is reportedly seeking Beijing's support to bring it back into airbase is located 135 km from the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the 'Chicken's Neck' – India's narrow land link to its northeastern states. While it remains unclear whether the revived airfield would serve civilian or military purposes, any potential Chinese presence so close to the India-Bangladesh border could heighten the strategic vulnerability of the interest in Lalmonirhat is understandable given its proximity to the Siliguri corridor, a critical chokepoint just 22 km wide at its narrowest point that has long been a strategic vulnerability for India. It connects eight NE states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura – to the rest of the country. Squeezed between Nepal and Bangladesh, and with Bhutan and China just a few hundred kilometers away, the Siliguri Corridor is a critical lifeline for both civilian transit and military logistics in India. India's answer to Bangladesh threatsIndia decided to place restrictions on Bangladeshi products being exported to North-East India after several comments made by the interim regime including by Yunus that it can choke the prosperity of NE states by denying them access to the Bay of Bengal. The move is expected to disrupt Bangladesh's garment industry, raising costs and limiting market access, while creating new opportunities for Indian this immediate response to Yunus' ill-conceived comments, India has sent a billions-dollar message to Bangladesh on India's northeastern states. Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the government's focus on the northeastern states. Speaking at the inaugural session of 'Rising North East Investor Summit', PM Modi junked the notion that geography could be a deterrent for NorthEast's growth. He positioned the region at the heart of India's Act East Policy, and said that "the NorthEast will become a strong bridge and gateway for Asean trade". Adani Group, Reliance Industries, and Vedanta announced at the Summit that they plan to invest an additional Rs 30,000-Rs 50,000 crore (approximately $4 billion to $6 billion) each in northeast India. Speaking at the event, Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, said Reliance Industries has committed to investing Rs 45,000 crore more in the Northeast. "Reliance has invested around Rs 30,000 crore in the region in the past 40 years," he said, adding, "In the next five years, we will more than double our investments, with our target at Rs 75,000 crore".RIL's investments will cover telecom, retail, renewable energy, biofuel, healthcare, and sports infrastructure across all eight Northeastern Adani-led Adani Group pledged a Rs 1 lakh crore investment commitment for Assam and the broader Northeast region over the next decade. Adani said the group's investment will focus on green energy, power transmission, roads, digital infrastructure, logistics, and human capital development. The commitment doubles the Rs 50,000 crore investment announced by the Adani Group just three months ago at the Advantage Assam 2.0 resources major Vedanta announced a Rs 80,000 crore investment in the region, including Rs 50,000 crore in Assam that it had announced earlier this year. These investments will be made in oil & gas, critical minerals, refining facilities, power, optical fibre, system integration, renewable energy, transmission sectors and data centres in six northeastern states. The investment is expected to generate 100,000 jobs. (With inputs from TOI)
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India.com
28-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Yunus Working Hand In Glove With China To Revive Bangladesh Airbase Near Siliguri Corridor, Warn Experts
The reactivation of Lalmonirhat air base, reportedly for Chinese use, by Bangladesh's interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has prompted serious concerns over region's security, several experts have highlighted. Built in 1931 by the British and used briefly during the Second World War, the airbase in Rangpur division was largely inactive until the 1950s. Located just 20 km away from the Indian border and not very far from the Siliguri corridor, or the 'Chicken's Neck', it was used as a forward airbase for operations in Myanmar, then Burma, and other countries in South East Asia. In 2019, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved the setting up of a Bangladesh Aerospace and Aviation University at the airbase, which is now operational under the Bangladesh Air Force. However, under Yunus's leadership, the project appears to be shifting toward restoring full aerial operations with increased Chinese engagement, thus drawing serious scrutiny from the Indian security agencies. Reliable sources have confirmed that Chinese officials have visited the Lalmonirhat airbase after Yunus, during his trip to China earlier this year, asked Beijing to develop a civilian airport there. Experts reckon that the airbase might become a "comprehensive air operations centre," providing support to Chinese air power close to Indo-Bangla border and through the rapid signal acquisition and data processing, China will get real-time access to India's military as well as civilian activities in the Siliguri Corridor. However, while addressing the media at an event on Sunday, a top Bangladeshi Army officer denied reports of any Chinese involvement at the airbase. "The airport is being revived to support national needs, including the Aerospace University. I have no information about Chinese involvement. Rest assured, no foreign entity will be allowed to operate in a way that harms our security or national interest." Brig Gen Nazim-ud-Daula was quoted as saying by Bangladeshi media. During his China visit, Yunus had also referred to India's northeast as "landlocked" and described Bangladesh as the region's "only guardian of the ocean". Yunus's remarks had invited massive criticism from India, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had described the comments as "offensive and strongly condemnable". Sarma on Sunday (May 25) again took to social media, saying that those who "habitually threaten" India on the 'chicken neck corridor' should note that Bangladesh has two such narrow strips of land, which are "far more vulnerable". "First is the 80 Km North Bangladesh Corridor- from Dakhin Dinajpur to South West Garo Hills. Any disruption here can completely isolate the entire Rangpur division from the rest of Bangladesh. Second is the 28 km Chittagong Corridor, from South Tripura till the Bay of Bengal. This corridor, smaller than India's chicken neck, is the only link between Bangladesh's economic capital and political capital," Sarma had posted on X. "I am only presenting geographical facts that some may tend to forget. Just like India's Siliguri Corridor, our neighbouring country is also embedded with two narrow corridors of theirs," he added.
