Amid escalating protest and violence in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, the government has stepped up efforts to ensure the safe return of Bhutanese students studying at various universities in Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister’s Office yesterday announced that Drukair is operating a special flight today to repatriate students from Dhaka. Around 67 students are returning today onboard Drukair.
Foreign and External Trade Minister D.N. Dhungyel said that necessary arrangements has been made to safely transport students to Dhaka airport and evacuate them.
In fact, some Bhutanese students have already returned to the country via road through India.
The foreign and external trade minister confirmed that 25 students from Rangpur Community Media College and Rangpur Dental College crossed the Bangladesh-India border yesterday morning.
In addition, 17 of the 18 Bhutanese students at Mymensingh Medical College have returned home, leaving only one student back in the hostel.
Similarly, out of five students at Rajshahi Medical College, four returned on July 20 along with Indian students.
According to the Ministry of Foreign and External Trade, the intense situation has forced many students to cancel their flights due to the curfew, complicating travel plans.
Currently, 257 Bhutanese students are enrolled in various universities across Bangladesh, according to the ministry. The Royal Bhutanese Embassy in Dhaka has confirmed that all students still in Bangladesh are safe and that the embassy is providing necessary support, including accommodation for those who feel unsafe in the hostels.
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay reassured the public on social media that the government is closely monitoring the situation. “The Royal Government of Bhutan is doing everything possible to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students in Bangladesh.”
The Bhutanese embassy in Dhaka, along with other relevant agencies, is working on bringing the students back home.
The embassy has advised students outside Dhaka to remain in their hostels and stay in touch, urging them not to travel to Dhaka due to the risks involved.
The unrest in Bangladesh erupted due to widespread student protests demanding the abolition of a controversial quota system in government jobs. This system reserves up to 30 percent of positions for relatives of veterans from the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.
The protesting students are against this quota as it primarily benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party, which led the independence movement. Protesters have called for an end to this perceived discrimination amid high unemployment rates, according to media reports.
In response to the escalating protests, the Bangladeshi government has imposed curfew and deployed the military to manage the situation. Communication blackout has been enforced since Thursday, including the suspension of mobile data and text message services, according to media reports.
