Shillong, July 20: The evacuation of Indian citizens from the violence hit Bangladesh is going on in full swing with around 200 students scheduled to cross over to India via Agartala Land Port on Saturday. Among these are 40 citizens of Meghalaya, mostly medical students.
They are expected to cross over to India via the Sonamura border in Tripura, after which they will be brought to Shillong. They are expected to cross the Sonamura border from Bangladesh at around 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
According to the information available with Hub News, atleast 30 students are from the Eastern Medical College (EMC) in Dhaka.
In preparations of their arrival, Meghalaya Government has put two super deluxe sleeper coaches with security on standby at the Sonamura border to ensure the comfort and safety of the students.
Assuring the citizens of the government’s efforts to bring back its citizens, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangam tweeted on X: “Our Govt is in constant touch with Indian Embassy and medical colleges in Bangladesh for evacuation of our students. Buses have been kept on standby in Agartala and other logistics arranged to bring our students home safely.”
Our Govt is in constant touch with Indian Embassy and medical colleges in Bangladesh for evacuation of our students. Buses have been kept on standby in Agartala and other logistics arranged to bring our students home safely.
— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) July 20, 2024
In preparation for their arrival, officials from Government of Meghalaya have been coordinating with their counterparts in Tripura. The State Government is also in touch with authorities in Indian Embassy in Bangladesh for ensuring safe evacuation of the students.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Sonamura have organized refreshments and packed food for the incoming students.
“Ensuring the students’ safety is our utmost priority. In the Government of Meghalaya’s ongoing efforts, separate nodal officers from the Administration and Police have also been appointed to oversee the entire process,” a government said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.
The total of 673 students crossed over to India through the Dawki International Land Port in Meghalaya on July 18-19.
Indian government has activated Akhurah international land port near Agartala in Tripura and the Dawki international land port in Meghalaya to evacuate its citizens, as well as students from other countries and tourists stranded in the country.
The protests in Bangladesh started on July 1, days after a decision by the Bangladesh Supreme Court to reinstate a 30 per cent government job quota for descendants of those who fought in the country’s 1971 war of independence.
Thousands of students from government and private universities in the country are demonstrating against the quota, fearing they will be deprived of opportunities if 30 per cent is reserved for family members of war veterans. While protesters support reservation for other marginalised groups like women, ethnic minorities and the disabled, the demand is that the quota of kin of freedom fighters be scrapped. The student protests against the quota system, ongoing for weeks, intensified following violent clashes on Dhaka University campus earlier this week involving protesters, police, and pro-government student activists.
Indian students’ preference for medical education in Bangladesh
Many Indian students, including those from Meghalaya, go to Bangladesh to study medicine and other subjects. This is because the cost of pursuing an MBBS or any other degree from Bangladesh is comparatively cheaper than in India.
For example, the average course of an MBBS degree in Bangladesh is about Rs. 25 to 35 lakh for the entire five year duration. In India the same would cost a minimum of Rs. 60 lakh.
The other advantages are: the National Medical Commission (erstwhile Medical Council of India) recognises and accredits some of the medical colleges in Bangladesh for the study of medicine for Indian students.
The curriculum in Bangladesh is similar to India, so too the food habits and much of the culture and language. For students of Meghalaya, the geographical proximity to Bangladesh is another advantage thus, luring many to pursue their higher education in the neighbouring country.
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