Meghalaya Chief Minister Ensures Safety of Indian Students Amidst Bangladesh Protests

SHILLONG: Amidst the ongoing protests in Bangladesh, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced on Thursday that the Meghalaya government is working closely with the Bangladesh High Commission and Indian High Commission to ensure the safety of students. So far, 161 Indian students, including 63 from Meghalaya, have been safely evacuated from Bangladesh.

In a social media post on X, Conrad Sangma wrote, “Amidst the ongoing protests in Bangladesh, the Meghalaya government is working closely with the Bangladesh High Commission & Indian High Commission to ensure the safety of students. 161 Indian students, including 63 from Meghalaya, have been safely evacuated so far!”

Earlier in the day, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka issued an urgent advisory for Indian citizens and students in Bangladesh to avoid non-essential travel and minimize movement outside their residences due to the escalating unrest in the country. This advisory was issued in response to recent violent clashes between students and police in Dhaka following the Bangladeshi government’s decision to close all public and private universities.

The protests have been driven by demands for reform of the country’s quota system for civil service jobs, which reserves positions for specific groups, including descendants of those who participated in the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.

On Thursday, protests intensified as students clashed with law enforcement in various locations across Dhaka. In Merul Badda, near Brac University, demonstrators blocked roads and engaged in violent confrontations with police, resulting in multiple injuries. By late morning, police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd, leading to significant traffic disruptions in the area, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Additionally, students obstructed the entrance to the Bashundhara Residential Area on Pragati Sarani and blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Jatrabari, severely affecting public transportation and causing widespread inconvenience. The Mirpur 10 roundabout and surrounding areas also experienced a heavy police presence, with many local markets and shops remaining closed.

The protests began in response to perceived police brutality and have evolved into a broader demand for justice for those injured or killed in previous demonstrations, as well as a call for a violence-free campus and rational reform of the quota system, as reported by local newspapers.