Medical students studying in Bangladesh face security concerns; JKSA urges PM Modi to step in

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over the safety and well-being of Indian students studying medicine in Bangladesh amid ongoing protests, unrest, and incidents of violence, particularly in Dhaka and nearby regions.

The students’ group stated that around 9,000 Indian students are currently pursuing medical education in Bangladesh, including more than 4,000 students from the Kashmir Valley. The association has been receiving distress calls from students and their families, citing fear, uncertainty, and worsening security conditions.

Indian Students In Limbo Amid Violence:

Violence has erupted in Bangladesh following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a 32-year-old senior leader of the student protest group Inqilab Mancha. Hadi was shot by masked attackers while leaving a mosque in Dhaka.Hundreds of supporters protested in Dhaka, vandalising and setting fire to offices of major newspapers. The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, declared national mourning and vowed justice.

The JKSA said some students have reportedly been advised to conceal their identity for safety reasons. The association has also flagged reports of death and lynching of a student leader, saying that several students are currently confined to hostels, facing movement restrictions, and concerns about being caught in violence

“If the situation of tension and violence continues or worsens, the Government of India should kindly consider making arrangements to evacuate and bring back Indian students safely to India, so that no young life is put at risk,” JKSA national convenor Nasir Khuehami said.

Kashmiri students urged the Prime Minister to intervene to ensure the safety of Indian students and requested the ministry of external affairs and Indian High Commission in Dhaka to take up the matter with the Bangladeshi government and seek assurances for the security, dignity, and well-being of Indian students.