High Commission of Malaysia relocates Malaysian students to safety in Dhaka
The High Commission of Malaysia has relocated Malaysian students in Bangladesh to the high commission official residence in Dhaka, to keep them safe from riots happening in Dhaka and Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
Mymensingh is situated 120 kilometres 120 km from Dhaka.
“As of 4 pm on 19 July 2024, the high commission reports that all Malaysian students in Dhaka are currently safe. There are 95 Malaysian students in Bangladesh, with two students having recently left Dhaka with the assistance of the high commission.
“Efforts are underway to assist the return of four students from Mymensingh Medical College to Malaysia, while a group of students have been relocated to temporary accommodation belonging to the High Commission,” said the Foreign Affairs Ministry via a statement.
The ministry said that currently there’s a curfew in Bangladesh due to the riots but it wouldn’t impede the high commission’s effort to assist affected Malaysian students in Bangladesh.
“As communicated by the Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, a curfew has been implemented as of midnight due to unstable security conditions.
“However, the high commission continues to monitor the welfare of affected students. At this time, the high commission is planning to travel to Mymensingh to provide food supplies to students who were unable to purchase them,” said the ministry.
The ministry stated that, despite facing major challenges like internet outages disrupting communication, the high commission is actively managing the situation.
The ministry also said that the high commission is focused on safeguarding the well-being of all Malaysian citizens in Bangladesh and is using SMS to stay connected and provide updates.
The ministry also said that a Malaysian student from Bangladesh Agricultural University was successfully helped to board a flight and is expected to reach Malaysia today.
The ministry also said Malaysian students in need of assistance can reach out to high commission.
The ministry emphasised that the safety and security of Malaysians abroad is their top priority, and they are taking all necessary measures to assist their citizens.
The ministry also stated that it will keep a close watch on the situation and provide updates as needed.
The relocation of Malaysian students by the high commission is due to ongoing riots by Bangladesh student groups against the relocation of government jobs in a quota system that was previously effective until 2018.
Following the riots, Bangladesh Police have enforced a strict curfew across the country, including a “shoot-on-sight” directive, while military forces patrolled parts of the capital on Saturday.