KUALA LUMPUR – Family members of Malaysian students affected by the current situation in Bangladesh hope that efforts to repatriate all of the students involved will be expedited, given the deteriorating situation there.
Ahmad Wafiq Aqil Kamarul, 23, a Master of Medicine and Surgery student at Mymensingh Medical College, said today that the situation in Bangladesh is very worrying and that the safety of students is also at risk if no immediate evacuation measures are taken.
“With the current situation in which internet and banking services are experiencing nationwide disruptions, the students’ family members who held meetings here, as well as those I met in the homeland today, agreed that efforts to repatriate all students must be expedited.”
“Riots could occur anywhere, without restriction. I am not sure if the ongoing conflict can be resolved in the near future,” said Wafiq, who arrived in Malaysia via a commercial flight on Thursday, July 18.
Describing the early moments of the riots, Wafiq added that the situation worsened after the internet, mobile data networks, and public transportation services were disrupted.
“By the time I arrived at the airport, all communication networks had already begun to break down. With the curfew that had started the previous day and the closure of all educational institutions there, it is only right that all our students be repatriated as soon as possible,” he added.
The Malaysian Foreign Ministry has emphasised that the safety of Malaysians abroad remains a top priority in light of the current situation in Bangladesh.
In a statement today, the ministry confirmed that Malaysian students affected by the current situation in Bangladesh have been relocated to the high commission building for their safety.
The ministry and the Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka are considering all available options, including relocation if necessary, in collaboration with the Higher Education Ministry and other relevant agencies to assist Malaysian students in Bangladesh, according to the statement.
As of late Friday, two out of 95 Malaysian students in Bangladesh have left Dhaka with the assistance of the high commission.
The Bangladeshi government imposed a nationwide curfew yesterday in response to escalating violence and protests. – July 21, 2024