Over 200 Indian students return amid escalating protests in Bangladesh
The deteriorating situation in Bangladesh, marked by widespread protests, has compelled Indian students to return home by any means. As per the reports, on friday alone, over 300 students crossed through northeastern border points. The protests, ongoing for at least three weeks, have resulted in over 100 deaths as students clashed with security forces and pro-government activists over the reintroduction of job reservations in government positions.
The violence intensified on Monday at Dhaka University, leading to six deaths the next day and prompting the government to close universities nationwide. Many of the returning students were pursuing MBBS degrees, primarily hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya, and Jammu and Kashmir. The key routes used included the international land ports at Akhurah near Agartala in Tripura and Dawki in Meghalaya.
The students decided to leave after a near-total internet shutdown on Thursday, coupled with severe disruptions to telephone services, cutting them off from their families. In Meghalaya, officials reported over 200 Indians crossing the border, along with some students from Bhutan and Nepal. An official noted that 67 students were from Meghalaya and seven from Bhutan, with the state government coordinating with the Bangladesh High Commission and the Bangladesh Land Port Authority to ensure safe passage.
The protests, which began last month following a high court ruling reinstating a 30 per cent job reservation for relatives of freedom fighters and veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Independence, have seen at least 104 deaths and over 2,500 injuries. Critics argue that the quota benefits the ruling Awami League party, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and hinders job prospects for others. The Supreme Court later suspended the reservation, but the ruling has been challenged by the government. Tensions escalated further when protesters set fire to a state broadcaster’s building following Hasina’s televised address.
