India Repatriates Thousands of Students Due to Violence in Bangladesh

Since early July, at least 130 people have died as a result of police brutality in Bangladesh.

On Monday, India reinforced security along its border with Bangladesh due to the growing instability in the neighboring country, which is mired in violent clashes during student protests.

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“The public order situation in Bangladesh is also a security concern for the Border Security Force (BSF). We are fully aware of the situation and have reinforced security so that criminal elements from the other side of the border do not take advantage,” said BSF Inspector Patel Piyush Purushottam Das.

India and Bangladesh share an extensive border of more than 4,000 kilometers, much of which has been fenced off by New Delhi since the 1980s to curb smuggling and undocumented immigration.

In addition to increasing security, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is working to bring back thousands of Indian students who were residing in Bangladesh when the unrest broke out.

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court scales back controversial government job quota system, which triggered deadly nationwide unrest last week. pic.twitter.com/iPpqjefi7W #Bangladesh #Bangladeshstudentprotests @uniworldnews
Universities closed as protests against quota system escalate.…

— Sri Lanka Tweet (@SriLankaTweet) July 21, 2024

Dozens of students took to the streets in India and Sri Lanka to express their support for Bangladeshi students. In the Indian city of Kolkata, the protests included participation from the All India Democratic Students’ Organization (AIDSO), the Students’ Federation of India, and others.

As of Monday, at least 4,500 Indian students and 500 Nepalese students have returned to India, the Ministry of External Affairs said, adding that it is in constant contact with Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety of its citizens.

Since July 15, Bangladesh has been in chaos due to student protests that began in early July. So far, at least 130 people have died as a result of police violence. The Bangladeshi government suspended mobile and internet communication services to contain the unrest. It also established a curfew since last Friday.

India is under monsoon ravages. Incessant rains caused delays in air and rail traffic. pic.twitter.com/mnyEIA9ozb

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 9, 2024