Malaysians return home from Bangladesh amid violent riots 

A total of 123 Malaysians, including 80 students, have returned from Bangladesh on a chartered flight today at 5 pm. 

The flight landed at KLIA2.

Their return comes in the wake of violent protests in Bangladesh that have resulted in nearly 150 deaths.

Siti Nurathirah Afrina Azree, 25, one of the returning students, shared that she felt conflicted about leaving Bangladesh because she was in her final year of studies.

However, the lack of internet connection in Bangladesh influenced her decision.

“After hearing from locals that the protest might continue… we were worried as there was no internet connection and our parents were panicking (in Malaysia), she said, reported Bernama. 

“We felt we needed to return home… This evacuation mission was a blessing for us,” she said. 

Another student, Sarvin Tharmalingam, shared similar sentiments.

“The poor phone signal and the lack of an internet connection made it hard to contact (others) and check whether the situation is safe,” he said.

In 2018, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration eliminated a quota system that allocated 56% of government jobs to specific groups, including families of freedom fighters, women, and residents of underdeveloped areas. 

Recently, a lower court reinstated these quotas, sparking widespread protests and a severe crackdown that involved an internet blackout and a military-enforced curfew.

On Saturday (July 20), reports indicated that the Bangladeshi government extended the curfew indefinitely. However, on Sunday, the restrictions were briefly eased for two hours to allow people to buy essential supplies.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government would repatriate all Malaysians in Bangladesh due to security concerns arising from the protests over the government job quota system.