Image Credits - The Hindu
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, Wisma Putra, is keeping a close eye on the unstable situation in Bangladesh, where protracted riots have put the safety of Malaysian students and their families living in Dhaka and Mymensingh at serious risk.
As the violence escalates, Wisma Putra has put in place extensive safeguards to protect Malaysian citizens. Among them are moving students to the Official Residence and the Malaysian High Commission, where necessary supplies are being supplied to support them through this situation.
The High Commission of Malaysia in Dhaka is actively coordinating efforts to protect the safety and security of all Malaysian people in Bangladesh, despite significant challenges such as internet outages that hamper communication. SMS communications are being used by the High Commission to keep in touch and keep an eye on the well-being of the impacted students.
“The Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh has reported that a curfew was enforced at midnight due to the deteriorating security situation,” said the ministry. “However, the High Commission continues to monitor the welfare of the affected students and is planning to travel to Mymensingh to deliver food supplies to those unable to procure them.”
The government also disclosed that a Malaysian student who was attending the Bangladesh Agricultural University was helped to board a plane and would return to his home country on Saturday. All Malaysian students who require support are asked to stay in touch and work with the High Commission, according to Wisma Putra.
The ministry’s priority continues to be the safety and security of Malaysians living overseas, and all required steps are being taken to help those who need it.
The ministry gave reassurance, saying it will keep a careful eye on the situation and provide updates as needed.
On July 1, thousands of students protested in the streets in Bangladesh after a court ruling reinstated the government job quota system, which had been repealed in 2018. This marked the beginning of the country’s unrest. The demonstrators are calling for modifications to the quota system, which allocates 56% of public jobs to specific groups, according to Anadolu Agency (AA).
According to the German news agency (DPA), the military declared on Saturday that the government had implemented a statewide curfew and sent troops in response to altercations between protesters and police during student demonstrations.
Asaduzzaman Khan, the home minister, declared that the army will be stationed in the capital city of Dhaka as well as other regions. On Saturday, news from these and other regional media sources was unavailable online as a result of the government’s widespread shutdown of phone, SMS, and internet connections.