Bangladesh unrest: Over 500 arrested over violent clashes, BSF opens 'special help desk' for students' return
In a significant escalation of the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, over 500 individuals have been arrested in Dhaka as police intensify their efforts to quell the violence that has gripped the capital.
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FollowPolice reported on Monday that over 500 people, including several opposition leaders, have been arrested following days of clashes in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka. The turmoil stems from widespread protests demanding the abolition of a controversial job quota system.
"At least 532 people have been arrested over the violence," Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain told AFP. "They include some BNP leaders," he added, referring to the opposition Bangladesh National Party.
The detainees include Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, the BNP's third-highest-ranking leader, and its spokesman Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed.
Aminul Huq, a former national football captain who is now a senior BNP figure, was also among those detained. Additionally, Mia Golam Parwar, the general secretary of the country’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, was arrested, Hossain reported.
The protests, which have resulted in the deaths of over 100 people, have prompted severe security measures. Law enforcement authorities have imposed a nationwide curfew in response to the clashes between demonstrators and police forces. The protesters are calling for the removal of a quota system that reserves up to 30 percent of government jobs for descendants of veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence against Pakistan.
In response to the unrest, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh recently ruled to reduce the quota for veterans' descendants to 5 percent, allocating the remaining 93 percent of government jobs based on merit. Despite this judicial intervention, the violence has persisted, leading to a crackdown by the police and mass arrests.
Amid the chaos, the Border Security Force (BSF) South Bengal Frontier has established "special help desks" at Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) along the India-Bangladesh border to facilitate the safe return of students from violence-torn Bangladesh. The BSF has been in constant communication with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to coordinate the evacuation, including night-time operations.
To date, the BSF has successfully assisted in the repatriation of 572 Indian students, 133 Nepalese students, and four Bhutanese students. Special help desks have been set up at ICP Petrapole, LCS Gede, Ghojadanga, and Mahadipur to ensure the smooth and safe return of these students. The immigration desk at ICP Petrapole will now operate 24/7 to provide uninterrupted passage for returning students, according to BSF DIG A K Arya.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reported that over 4,500 Indian students have returned from Bangladesh amidst the ongoing violence. In addition to Indian nationals, 500 Nepalese students, 38 Bhutanese students, and one Maldivian student have also been evacuated to India. The Indian missions in Bangladesh, including the High Commission in Dhaka and assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Khulna, have been actively coordinating these efforts.
The MEA has been working with Indian authorities to ensure a smooth passage for returning citizens at land ports and airports. The Indian High Commission is also in touch with Bangladeshi civil aviation authorities and commercial airlines to maintain flight services between the two countries.
The situation in Bangladesh remains volatile, with the government's measures to address the job quota issue yet to fully restore order. The international community continues to monitor the developments closely as efforts to secure the safety of foreign nationals persist.
