BSF Sets Up Help Desks for Indian Students Returning from Bangladesh Amid Protests

Kolkata, Jul 22 2024 : In response to the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the Border Security Force (BSF) South Bengal Frontier has established special help desks at Integrated Check Posts (ICP) along the India-Bangladesh border to facilitate the safe return of students from the neighboring country.

According to BSF officials, the initiative aims to assist Indian, Nepalese, and Bhutanese students studying in Bangladesh who are being evacuated due to the volatile situation. So far, the BSF has successfully facilitated the return of 572 Indian students, along with 133 Nepalese students and four Bhutanese students.

“The BSF South Bengal Frontier has set up special help desks at ICP Petrapole, LCS Gede, Ghojadanga, and Mahadipur to ensure the safe return of these students amidst the ongoing unrest,” stated a BSF spokesperson.

BSF Deputy Inspector General A K Arya emphasized the coordination efforts with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), ensuring safe operations even during nighttime evacuations. To streamline the process further, the immigration desk at ICP Petrapole will now operate 24/7, ensuring continuous and secure passage for all returning students.

The protests in Bangladesh erupted over demands to abolish a controversial job quota system that reserves a significant portion of government jobs for descendants of veterans from Bangladesh’s independence war in 1971. The demonstrations have turned violent, resulting in over 100 casualties, although exact figures are still being confirmed.

Recently, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh intervened by scrapping most of the contentious job quotas, reducing reserved government jobs for veterans’ descendants to 5 percent and allocating 93 percent based on merit.

The BSF’s proactive measures underscore India’s commitment to ensuring the safety and swift return of students affected by the unrest in Bangladesh.