After the take-over of the major part of Afghanistan by the Taliban in 1996, he fled with his family to Tajikistan and thereafter to the Netherlands in 1997, where they were granted asylum.
Talibanin otettua valtaansa suuren osan maata vuonna 1996 Bashir pakeni perheineen Tadžikistaniin ja sitten vuonna 1997 Alankomaihin, joka antoi turvapaikan.