Help evacuate students stranded in violence-hit Bangladesh: Assam to Centre

More than 400 students and tourists from India, Bhutan, and Nepal have been evacuated through Dawki on the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border over the past 48 hours, officials in Shillong said.

GUWAHATI

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on July 19 sought the Centre’s help to evacuate students from the State stranded in violence-hit Bangladesh.

More than 400 students and tourists from India, Bhutan, and Nepal have been evacuated through Dawki on the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border over the past 48 hours, officials in Shillong said.

“I have spoken with Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita for the evacuation of the students. He said the Centre is on the job of evacuating many boys and girls from Assam studying in the medical colleges of Bangladesh,” the Chief Minister told journalists.

Ruhul Amin, Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner in Guwahati, said the Assam government contacted him for help to evacuate the students from the State. “I have not been able to follow it up as there is a blackout of internet and phone services in Bangladesh,” he said.

In June, students in Bangladesh began protesting against the system of reserving up to 30% of government jobs for the family members of veterans who fought in the country’s liberation war of 1971. They have been demanding that jobs should be purely based on merit.

The movement took a violent turn this week after students of Dhaka University clashed with the police and the supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. More than 100 people were injured in the clashes.