Quota Row: Over 300 Indian Students Return from Bangladesh

These students are from Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and most of them were pursuing MBBS in Bangladesh.

Students protest in Bangladesh have taken a violent turn recently forcing students from Nepal, India and Bhutan to leave the country by any means possible. After the situation worsened, more than 300 Indian students returned to India of which most were the students of MBBS in Bangladesh. These students are natives of Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The protest has been going on for three weeks and recently it escalated and violence broke out at Dhaka University. Reportedly, after six people were killed the next day, the government ordered the closure of all universities in the country.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said that till now a total of 405 students who are Indian, Nepalese and Bhutanese have been evacuated from Bangladesh into India, as reported by The Statesman.

Students took embassy's help to return to India

The students hired private taxis to return to India. Indian High Commission (embassy) in Bangladesh also helped the students in leaving the country.

They returned through the international land port at Dawki in Meghalaya and the international land port at Akhurah near Agartala in Tripura.

"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, as reported by NDTV.

The Background

Students have been protesting against the pro-government activists and security forces over the reintroduction of reservation in government jobs. So far, over 100 people have died and more than 2,500 have been injured in the student's clash with security forces and government supporters.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina commented on this and said, "It is a matter of sorrow that some vested quarters started making different kinds of statements and engaged in terrorist activities to gain their ambitious intentions centring on this movement. As the matter has been brought before the top court, I call upon all to keep patience," as reported by Daijiworld.

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