Hasina Loyalists Fled Home, Now Search for Identity in Kolkata

• Sheikh Hasina loyalists, including over 70 MPs and 15 central leaders, fled Bangladesh to Kolkata after the July 2024 turmoil.
• They fled due to violence, attacks on government offices, and crackdowns on Hasina supporters following her resignation.
• In Kolkata, these exiles face an identity crisis, homesickness, and practical challenges like visas and jobs, despite the city's cultural familiarity.
• Many are holding online meetings, monitoring groups, coordinating "resistance activities," and seeking visa extensions while trying to integrate into daily life.
• They chose Kolkata for its proximity, cultural similarity, and because their leader, Sheikh Hasina, also sought refuge in India.

Why It Matters: Political upheaval forces loyalists into exile, causing an identity crisis in Kolkata.