Agartala: Due to escalating protests in Bangladesh, which have persisted for weeks, Indian students are returning home by any available means. On Friday alone, over 300 students crossed through border points in the northeast. The protests, ignited by the reintroduction of reservation in government jobs, have resulted in over 100 deaths as students clashed with security forces and pro-government activists.
The protests, ongoing for at least three weeks, intensified significantly on Monday when violence erupted at Dhaka University. Six individuals were killed the following day, prompting the government to close universities across the country.
Most returning students, who were pursuing MBBS degrees, hail 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.
With a near-total internet shutdown and severely impacted telephone services from Thursday, many students felt cut off from their families and decided to return.
“I am a second-year student at Marine City Medical College and Hospital in Chittagong. The situation is deteriorating with many restrictions, which is why we have returned. The internet is not working, and we couldn’t contact our families. We had to take the road route to Agartala since we couldn’t get flight tickets,” said Aamir from Haryana.
Mohammed Faiz Abdullah Khan, another student from the same college, mentioned that things seemed normal until Tuesday when they were advised not to leave their accommodations.
“We learned about the quota movement then. The college authorities said the institution would remain closed, and the principal suggested we return to India if we felt insecure. The Indian Embassy gave us the same advice and offered assistance with transportation if needed. We took a cab to the Agartala border and have just crossed over,” Mr. Khan said.
Many students took a six-hour taxi journey, accompanied by a security escort, to reach home. In Meghalaya, officials reported that over 200 Indians crossed the border due to the protests. Some students from Bhutan and Nepal also entered India.
An official noted that 67 students were from Meghalaya and seven from Bhutan, adding that the state government was coordinating with the Bangladesh High Commission and the Bangladesh Land Port Authority to ensure the safe return of Indians.
Quota Controversy
The clashes, which have resulted in at least 104 deaths and over 2,500 injuries, began last month after a high court reinstated a 30 percent reservation in government jobs for family members of freedom fighters and veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Independence.
Critics argue that the quota, later suspended by the Bangladesh Supreme Court but challenged by the government, benefits only the ruling Awami League party led by Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Protesters contend that their job prospects are hindered by this reservation, accusing Ms. Hasina of using it to reward party loyalists.