AGARTALA, July 19: The worsening situation in Bangladesh, which has seen widespread protests for weeks, has forced Indian students to return home using any available means, with over 300 crossing through border points in the northeast on Friday alone. Over 100 people have died as students across Bangladesh have clashed with security forces and pro-government activists over the reintroduction of reservation in government jobs.
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The protests, which have been on for at least three weeks, escalated significantly on Monday, when violence broke out at Dhaka University. Six people were killed the next day, prompting the Government to order the closure of universities across the country.
Many of the students who returned were pursuing MBBS degrees and most of them were from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir. Two key routes used by the students to return on Friday were the international land port at Akhurah near Agartala in Tripura and the international land port at Dawki in Meghalaya.
The students said they were waiting and watching but finally decided to temporarily leave Bangladesh after a near-total shutdown of the internet was put into effect on Thursday and telephone services were also severely impacted, effectively cutting them off from their families. (Agencies)
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