Lagatar24 Desk
Agartala: The deteriorating situation in Bangladesh, marked by weeks of widespread protests, has compelled Indian students to return home by any means necessary, with over 300 crossing through northeastern border points on Friday alone. More than 100 people have died as students across Bangladesh have clashed with security forces and pro-government activists over the reintroduction of reservations in government jobs.
The protests, ongoing for at least three weeks, significantly escalated on Monday when violence erupted at Dhaka University. Six people were killed the next day, prompting the government to order the closure of universities nationwide.
Many of the returning students were pursuing MBBS degrees, with most hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya, and Jammu and Kashmir. Two primary routes used by the students on Friday were the international land port at Akhurah near Agartala in Tripura and the international land port at Dawki in Meghalaya.
The students, initially hoping the situation would improve, decided to leave Bangladesh temporarily after a near-total internet shutdown on Thursday, which severely impacted telephone services, effectively cutting them off from their families.
“I am a second-year student at the Marine City Medical College and Hospital in Chittagong. The situation is getting worse, and many restrictions have been put in place, which is why we have returned. Many other students have also come back. The internet is not working, and we were not able to get in touch with our families. We could not get flight tickets and had to take the road route to Agartala instead of flying home,” said Aamir from Haryana.
Mohammed Faiz Abdullah Khan, another student from the same college, said everything seemed normal until Tuesday, when they were advised not to leave their accommodations or hostel premises.
“That’s when we found out about the quota movement. College authorities said the institution would remain shut, and when we spoke to the principal, he suggested that we could return to India if we felt insecure. The Indian Embassy also gave us the same advice and asked us to contact them if we found it difficult to arrange transportation. We took a cab to the Agartala border and have just crossed over,” Mr. Khan said.
Several Indian students undertook a six-hour taxi journey with a security escort to reach home.
In Meghalaya, officials reported that over 200 Indians crossed the border due to the protests. A few students from Bhutan and Nepal have also entered India.
An official mentioned that 67 of the students were from Meghalaya and seven from Bhutan, adding that the state government was in touch with the Bangladesh High Commission and the Bangladesh Land Port Authority to facilitate the safe return of Indians.
At least 104 people have been killed and over 2,500 injured in the clashes between students, government supporters, and security forces. The protests began last month after a high court reinstated 30 percent reservation in government jobs for family members of freedom fighters and veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Independence.
Critics of the quota, which was later suspended by the Bangladesh Supreme Court but is being challenged by the government, argue that it primarily benefits the ruling Awami League party led by Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Ms. Hasina has been accused of using the reservation to reward party loyalists, while protesters claim it hinders their job prospects.
On Wednesday, Ms. Hasina addressed the protesters on television, who responded a day later by setting fire to a building owned by the state broadcaster that had telecast her speech.
