Indian Students Return from Bangladesh Amid Protests
Amid protests in Bangladesh against job quotas, Indian students have been returning to India through Tripura. The Border Security Force (BSF) assisted in the return of as many as 100 students with valid documents on Saturday. The students also include citizens from Nepal, and more students are expected to come back.
Patel Piyush Purushottam Das, IG, BSF, Tripura Frontier, has assured all possible assistance to such students and has further spoken to the Border Guards Bangladesh authorities for cooperation from their end. The BSF has made all necessary arrangements, including refreshments and transport, at the integrated check post (ICP) to facilitate the smooth arrival and further movement of these students to their destinations.
Bangladesh announced a nationwide curfew on Friday evening after clashes between police and various student groups in which dozens of people were killed. The protests in Bangladesh 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. The protests started after students violently reacted against a new policy to reserve a portion of government jobs for descendants of the nation’s freedom fighters.
Protesters attacked the state television headquarters in Dhaka and set fire to police booths on Thursday as they called for a ‘complete shutdown’ of the country. Following the curfew, the authorities have also shut down schools and universities indefinitely, and mobile and internet services have been disabled nationwide.
The India High Commission in Dhaka has been coordinating with local authorities in Bangladesh to provide adequate security to students who are keen on travelling to India. The Indian mission, in coordination with BSF and the Bureau of Immigration, is facilitating Indian students who are travelling back to India from Bangladesh.
Doubts Revealed
Bangladesh -: Bangladesh is a country located to the east of India. It shares a border with the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
Protests -: Protests are when people gather to show that they are unhappy about something. In this case, people in Bangladesh are unhappy about job quotas.
Job quotas -: Job quotas are rules that reserve a certain number of jobs for specific groups of people. In Bangladesh, there are protests because some people think the job quotas are unfair.
Tripura -: Tripura is a state in northeastern India. It shares a border with Bangladesh, making it a key point for Indian students returning from Bangladesh.
Border Security Force (BSF) -: The Border Security Force (BSF) is a group of people who protect India’s borders. They help make sure that people can cross the border safely.
Integrated check post -: An integrated check post is a place at the border where people and goods are checked before they can enter or leave a country.
Nationwide curfew -: A nationwide curfew means that everyone in the country has to stay indoors during certain hours. This is done to keep people safe during the protests.
Indian High Commission in Dhaka -: The Indian High Commission in Dhaka is like an office that represents India in Bangladesh. They help Indian citizens who are in Bangladesh.
Internet shutdowns -: Internet shutdowns mean that the internet is turned off in certain areas. This is sometimes done to stop people from spreading information during protests.
