'Avoid Travel, Minimise Movement': Indian Nationals In Bangladesh Advised Amid Unrest Over Job Quota System

Amid the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh over the current job quota system, the Indian High Commission has issued an advisory, urging its nationals and students to stay indoors and avoid all non-essential travel.

The advisory came as protests in the neighbouring country turned violent this week when thousands of anti-quota protesters clashed with members of the student wing of the ruling Awami League party across the country. On Thursday, the Bangladesh government ordered the nationwide shutdown of its mobile internet network.

Indian Advisory

Student protesters demanding reforms in the quota system in government jobs earlier announced plans to enforce a complete nationwide shutdown in response to the actions of the security forces that left at least nine people dead. The Indian advisory, issued on Thursday, stressed the need for heightened caution and minimising movement outside of their homes.

“In view of the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, the Indian community members and the Indian students residing in Bangladesh are advised to avoid travel and minimize their movement outside their living premises. In case of any urgency or need for assistance, please reach out to the High Commission and our Assistant High Commissions at the following 24-Hour Emergency numbers,” the advisory read.

‘Deeply regretted’

In an address to the nation on Wednesday, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina “deeply regretted” the casualties in the violence over student protests and said that a judicial inquiry committee will be formed. Hasina asked protestors to keep faith in the country’s apex court. “I believe our students will get justice (in the apex court). They will not be disappointed,” she said in an unscheduled nationwide address.

She appeared on a live TV broadcast coinciding with the Muslim mourning day of “Ashura”, which is a public holiday in Bangladesh, and said the casualties over the student protests were “very saddening and unfortunate” adding “for no justified reason some valuable lives were lost”. She declared a judicial investigation into the killings and said, “I will do whatever support is necessary for the families of those who have been killed in the violence.”

‘Vested’ Interest

Hasina, however, held responsible “some vested quarters” for instigating the violence saying the protesting students were not involved in the “terrorist acts” and urged them not to give chance to miscreants to take advantage of the situation. The violence prompted the government to close all public and private universities alongside schools and colleges across Bangladesh for an indefinite period on late Tuesday asking residential students to leave dormitories.

According to media reports, four of the deceased were students and the remaining two were small traders. Two people were killed in the capital Dhaka, three in the southeastern port city of Chattogram and one in northwestern Rangpur. A second-year student of northwestern Rangpur University was the first casualty on Tuesday when he was shot dead by police during a protest on the university campus.

Fifty-six percent of government jobs are reserved under the current quota system with 30 being for the decedents of the 1971 Liberation War freedom fighters, 10 percent for backward administrative districts, 10 percent for women, five percent for ethnic minority groups and one percent for the handicapped people. Every year some 3,000 government jobs open up to nearly 400,000 graduates. The protestors waged the campaign for the reform of the system saying it was debarring meritorious students’ recruitment in first-class and second-class government jobs.

(With agency inputs)