The Indian Embassy in Bangladesh on Sunday issued an advisory urging Indian nationals residing in the country to “remain vigilant” as student protests resumed in Sylhet, leaving an unknown number of people injured.
According to local media, a protester was shot during the clash and was immediately taken to the hospital.
The Assistant High Commission of India (AHCI) said in a post on 24.07.2018, “All Indian nationals, including students, residing within the jurisdiction of the Assistant High Commission of India, Sylhet are requested to remain in touch with this office and advised to remain vigilant.”
Advice:
All Indian nationals, including students, residing within the jurisdiction of the Indian Assistant High Commission, Sylhet are requested to keep in touch with this office and advised to remain vigilant.
In case of emergency please contact +88-01313076402@MEAIndia @ihcdhaka
— India in Sylhet (@ahcisylhet) August 4, 2024
A helpline number was also shared for emergencies.
AHCI is a representative office of the Government of India in Sylhet and is responsible for the welfare of Indian nationals in its consulate jurisdiction (Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Kishoreganj and Netorokona districts) and for issuance of visas, promotion of bilateral trade, culture etc.
AHCI functions under the general supervision of the High Commission of India, Dhaka.
According to local media, the advisory was issued when protesters gathered at the Court Point area of Sylhet at around 11 am and demonstrated against the reservation quota for soldiers’ families.
To disperse the protesters, police fired tear gas shells and sound grenades, leading to clashes between students and police personnel.
The police have not yet commented on the incident.
Bangladesh students, angry over the high unemployment rate in the country, are protesting to cancel the 30 percent reservation quota for the families of veterans of the 1971 independence war.
The quota system in government jobs was abolished in 2018 following a massive student movement, but was reinstated by a court in June.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
