Nearly 1,000 Indian students evacuated as Bangladesh burns over quota protests

Dhaka: Following the escalation in violent protests demanding the scrapping of the controversial quota system, the Bangladesh government has declared a national curfew. According to local reports, the government is planning to deploy more forces on the ground to tackle the students' protests. 

The government has also ordered a near-total internet shutdown in the country. Due to heightened tensions on the university campuses and violent attacks earlier this week, all the universities have been asked to close down. 

Over 100 people have been killed and 2,500 others sustained injuries during the two-week long protests as students demand Sheikh Hasina’s government to end the quota system in the country. The students have been against the country's ‘discriminatory’ quota system in government jobs, which reserves a third of the jobs for the relatives of veterans who fought in the war of independence from Pakistan in 1971. The quota system was scrapped following a major student movement but was reinstated by a court in June. 

As the widespread protests continue to rock the capital city Dhaka and other places, the Indian government has so far evacuated 978 students. The Indian government is also extending assistance to students from Nepal and Bhutan upon request. 

Update on return of Indian Nationals in Bangladesh:https://t.co/uR41LSSc7O pic.twitter.com/GRWIWJAAiu

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) July 20, 2024

As per reports, nearly 8,500 Indian students are enrolled in various Bangla universities. 778 Indian students have returned via various land ports, with an additional 200 students using regular flight services through Dhaka and Chittagong airports, according to an External Affairs Ministry (MEA) briefing.

The MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said around 15,000 Indian nationals including 8,500 students reside in the neighbouring country. Most of the students are hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya and Jammu & Kashmir. The Indian High Commission is in touch with the remaining Indian students in the country. 
 

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