Amid escalating violence over the job quota crisis in Bangladesh, approximately 120 students from Assam have been forced to return home. Senior officials reported that the relentless unrest has compelled many students to leave the country. With the Internet shut down in Bangladesh, students faced significant challenges in booking tickets. Many had to rely on their families back home to book tickets. Due to the Internet blackout, students could only receive their PNR numbers and had to proceed to the airport without printed copies of their tickets.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Ajay Tewari reported that students from Assam have been entering India through Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) at Sutarkandi in Karimganj district and Dawki in Meghalaya. “In the Northeast, students and other people are entering through the ICPs in Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura. Till Saturday night, 76 students from Assam entered through Dawki, and another 41 students came through Sutarkandi,” he stated. Tewari mentioned that students from Barak Valley primarily entered through Sutarkandi, while those from the Brahmaputra Valley entered via Dawki. More students are expected to arrive in the coming days. The Assam government has deployed a magistrate and senior police official at Sutarkandi to facilitate their entry.
“Students from Nepal, Bihar, and other states are also returning. Most of the students from Tripura have returned through the Akhaura post in that state,” Tewari added. When asked about the number of Assamese students in Bangladesh, Tewari said the state government does not have this information. “The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not provided us with the estimated number of Assamese students in Bangladesh. We are monitoring those arriving through Sutarkandi post and ensuring their safe return to their respective homes,” he said. Karimganj District Commissioner Mridul Yadav stated on Saturday that he and the Superintendent of Police had visited the ICP at Sutarkandi and interacted with the students. The state government is also in touch with the MEA to ensure the safety of Assam residents in Bangladesh.
