More Than 4,500 Indian Students Return From Violence-Hit Bangladesh

More than 4,500 Indian students have returned home from Bangladesh as the neighbouring country continues to reel under violent clashes that have killed over 100 people.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday that 500 students from Nepal, 38 from Bhutan and one from the Maldives have also arrived in India. It said the Indian missions in Bangladesh are in regular touch with local authorities for the safety and security of Indian nationals.

"Thus far, over 4,500 Indian students have returned to India. The High Commission has been making arrangements for security escort for safe travel of Indian nationals to the border-crossing points," the MEA said.

It said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna have been assisting the return of Indian nationals home.

"The Ministry of External Affairs has also been coordinating with relevant Indian authorities to ensure a smooth passage for our citizens at land-ports and airports," it said in a statement.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said the total number of Indian nationals in Bangladesh is estimated to be around 15,000, including 8,500 students.

Bangladesh has been reeling under deadly clashes, with protesting students demanding that the Sheikh Hasina-led government scrap a controversial job-quota system.

More than 100 people have been killed in the clashes that broke out weeks ago, according to reports from Dhaka, though the exact number of deaths is not yet clear.

Law enforcement authorities in Bangladesh have imposed a nationwide curfew as the clashes between the protesters demanding the withdrawal of the job-quota system and police continued across the country.

Bangladesh's Top Court Scales Back Government Jobs Quota 

Earlier today, Bangladesh's top court scaled back a controversial quota system for government job applicants, a partial victory for student protesters after days of deadly clashes.  

Students, frustrated by shortages of good jobs, have been demanding an end to a quota that reserved 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971.

The government previously halted it in 2018 following mass student protests, but in June, Bangladesh's High Court reinstated the quotas and set off a new round of protests.

Ruling on an appeal, the Supreme Court ordered that the veterans' quota be cut to 5 per cent, with 93 per cent of jobs to be allocated on merit. The remaining 2 per cent will be set aside for members of ethnic minorities and transgender and disabled people.

(With PTI, AP Inputs)