Plans are now underway to bring back a total of 127 Indian students including 40 from Meghalaya studying in Eastern Medical College of Bangladesh who are still stranded in violence-hit Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has been reeling under deadly clashes with protesting students demanding the Sheikh Hasina-led government scrap a controversial job quota system.
According to official sources, these 127 students are planning to leave their campus in Eastern Medical College in Comilla District of Chittagong by bus to enter India through the Sonamura border near Agartala in Tripura.
“They are planning to camp in Agartala till Sunday and will return to their respective states by flight,” sources said today.
Of the 40 students from Meghalaya, 30 are girls. The college authorities will take a final decision on security escort requirements tomorrow morning before allowing them to travel by bus to the Tripura border to cross over to India.
Earlier today, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told media persons that the State government was in touch with the officials of the college and also with the Indian High Commissions in Dhaka and Chittagong to safely evacuate the stranded students.
Meanwhile, today a total of 204 persons, mostly students crossed over from Bangladesh to Meghalaya through the Dawki land port. Of these, 13 are from Meghalaya, 158 from Nepal and one from Bhutan.
Since yesterday till today, the Meghalaya government has successfully evacuated 405 students from trouble torn Bangladesh through the Dawki land port.
Of these, 80 are from Meghalaya and 131 from other Indian states. Further, 249 students are from Nepal and eight from Bhutan. In addition, four tourists have also been evacuated.
The Meghalaya government has activated a helpline number for its citizens in Bangladesh for seeking assistance, if necessary, due to the unrest in the neighbouring country.
Indian citizens of the state can call the helpline number 1800-345-3644 of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations for any assistance they may need.
In view of the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, and to assist the citizens of the State, the Meghalaya government of Meghalaya has deputed Hiwot Rymbai, Additional Superintendent of Police (+91 96157 16153) as a Nodal Officer at the border along with Executive Officer, Dawki Land Port Authority (+91 84150 60802 ) as Assistant Nodal Officer.
The protests in Bangladesh started on July 1 against the decision by the government to reinstate a 30 per cent government job quota for descendants of those who fought in the country’s 1971 war of independence.
