The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday that 778 Indian students had returned home to India from Bangladesh through various land borders. This comes as Bangladesh continues to grapple with violent clashes sparked by a contentious job quota system.
778 Indian Students Return Home From Bangladesh
Pray for Bangladesh 🙏
Violence across 47 of Bangladesh’s 64 districts has now claimed a total of 105 lives, with over 1,500 injured.😥#BangladeshiStudentsareinDanger #bangladesh #bangladesh_quotha_movement #BangladeshProtests #BangladeshQuothaMovement #BangladeshUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/kDjkLoD5Cn
— DHANANJOY BAISHNAB (@IMDhananjoy) July 20, 2024
The MEA emphasised that Indian missions in Bangladesh were maintaining close communication with local authorities to safeguard the well-being of Indian citizens and students. The ministry stated that 778 Indian students had crossed back into India via various land ports and they were in communication with around 4000 more to aid them. Additionally, around 200 students had returned home on regular flights departing from Dhaka and Chittagong airports.
Bangladesh has been embroiled in deadly clashes as student protestors demand the withdrawal of the controversial job quota system implemented by the Sheikh Hasina-led government. The unrest has tragically claimed the lives of over 50 people in recent weeks.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal previously estimated that roughly 15,000 Indian nationals reside in Bangladesh. The MEA confirmed that the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, along with assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Khulna, have been actively facilitating the return of Indian nationals.
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Safe Passage To Border Checkpoints
The Resilient Students of Bangladesh has more honors than the entire country of ours!
They really have cracked the formula of taking independence whenever they require it!
Respect to their commitment towards their country.#StudentsUnderAttack#BangladeshiStudentsareinDanger pic.twitter.com/JKSR58gXxP
— Ali Panjwani (@danypanjwani) July 20, 2024
In a statement to The Business Standard, the MEA said the High Commission and Assistant High Commissions were collaborating with local authorities to implement measures that ensure safe passage to border checkpoints along the India-Bangladesh border. They further added that the MEA was also working alongside civil aviation, immigration, land ports, and BSF authorities to guarantee a smooth passage for their citizens.
The MEA revealed that the Indian High Commission and assistant high commissions were maintaining regular contact with over 4,000 students remaining at various universities across Bangladesh, offering them any necessary assistance. The statement also highlighted that students from Nepal and Bhutan had received support with crossing into India upon request.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) further stated that security escorts were being provided whenever necessary to ensure the safe travel of students by road during their repatriation through designated land ports.
The MEA concluded by saying that the Indian High Commission in Dhaka was working alongside Bangladeshi civil aviation authorities and commercial airlines to guarantee that uninterrupted flight services would be available from Dhaka and Chittagong to India, which could be used by Indian citizens for their return journeys.
Cover Image Courtesy: @DDIndialive/X (Formerly, Twitter)
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