New Delhi: The government is in close touch with the nearly 19,000 Indian nationals – almost half of whom are students – in Bangladesh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Jaishankar also said India expects Bangladesh – in crisis following Sheikh Hasina’s forced resignation last night, amid violent protests over a jobs quota that has killed over 400 people – to provide security to the Indian community that calls Dhaka and other parts of the country ‘home’.
“The situation in Bangladesh is still evolving… we are in close touch with Indian community in that country. There are 19,000 Indian nationals – 9,000 students – in Bangladesh. Many of the students returned in July and we expect the host government will provide security to the others,” he said.
“We are also monitoring the situation with regard to minorities. We will remain deeply concerned till law and order is control. Border areas remain on alert,” Mr Jaishankar told MPs.
India’s northeast states share a 4,096-km border with Bangladesh. Concern over refugees and infiltration by terrorists have prompted a 12-hour night curfew in Meghalaya.
(Source: NDTV)
