Amid civil unrest, over 900 students escape to India from Bangladesh
At least 905 students from Bangladesh colleges, who are fleeing the country amid the civil unrest, crossed the border into India on Sunday at various integrated border check posts in West Bengal and Tripura, officials from the Border Security Force (BSF) said.
At least 905 students from Bangladesh colleges, who are fleeing the country amid the civil unrest, crossed the border into India on Sunday at various integrated border check posts in West Bengal and Tripura, officials from the Border Security Force (BSF) said.
People aware of the matter said that while a majority of the students are Indian nationals, who were studying at medical colleges in Comilla, Dhaka and Brahmanbaria districts of Bangladesh, students from Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh have also crossed the border.
Over the last four days, at least 1,912 students, who had valid documents and identity papers, entered India through the border in West Bengal and Tripura. At least seven of them were Bangladesh nationals, four were from Bhutan, and 221 were from Nepal, officials said.
The others are Indian students who were either hostellers or lived as paying guests near their colleges, officials added. The students told BSF officials that they were escorted by police and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) till the border.
The Bangladesh government has imposed a strict curfew with a “shoot at sight” orders issued to police to quell the civil unrest that has claimed at least 133 lives.
BSF, which guards the India-Bangladesh border, has set up help desks at various integrated check posts across the border states and are coordinating with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) officials.
“We have information that there are nearly 8,000 students enrolled in the medical colleges there (in Bangladesh). On Sunday evening, 305 more students, who had come from Dhaka, reached the Indian border at South Bengal. They were assisted by BGB there and handed to BSF. Students who crossed the India-Bangladesh border at Tripura on Sunday were from as far as Jammu and Kashmir. We have been told that more students are on their way,” a senior officer monitoring the rescue said.
Tripura frontier’s inspector general, Patel Piyush Purushottam Das said, “Our borders are on high alert. Maximum troops have been sent to the border and all senior commanders are camping at the border to ensure high level of operation preparedness. The law and situation is also a concern for BSF as we are entrusted with guarding the border. We will ensure that criminal elements do not take advantage of the situation.”
The officer said that due to the suspension of internet and mobile services, the families of the students were not able to contact them in Bangladesh. “I had got a call from a student’s parent who said that he was not able to connect with his son — a student at the Brahambaria Medical College. I spoke to the regional commander there and got a good response. We are also thankful to the BGB, who helped in transporting the students till the border despite the situation there. ”
DIG Amresh Arya of the South Bengal frontier said, “The immigration desks will now be open round the clock to ensure safe passage of all students. Medical aid, food, and transportation is being provided to the students. Assistance is also being provided to students from Bhutan and Nepal as well.”
