GUWAHATI: The Assam government has sought the Centre’s help for the evacuation of students from the State stranded in restive Bangladesh.Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the media on Friday that he had spoken with Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita for the evacuation of these students.“Many boys and girls from Assam study in the medical colleges of Bangladesh. We have requested the Government of India to evacuate them. The government of India is doing its job. Pabitra Margherita Ji told me this,” Sarma said.Ruhul Amin, who is the Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner in Guwahati, told that the Assam government sought his help for the evacuation of students.“The Assam government contacted me but I have not been able to follow up as there is blackout of internet and phone services in Bangladesh,” Amin said.Till Thursday, over 300 people, mostly students from India, Nepal and Bhutan, were evacuated via Dawki in Meghalaya.The Meghalaya government said 202 Indians – 198 students and four tourists – were evacuated. The students included 67 from Meghalaya, 95 others from Nepal and seven from Bhutan who had entered Meghalaya through Dawki.An official statement said the Meghalaya government had been in constant touch with the Bangladesh High Commission and the Indian High Commission besides the Land Port Authority, Dawki and Exporters’ Association to ensure the safety of these students. A quota system is at the centre of the violence in Bangladesh. The protestors, mainly students, want the Sheikh Hasina government to do away with the system that reserves up to 30% of government jobs for the family members of veterans who fought in the country’s liberation war of 1971. The protestors are insisting that jobs should be purely based on merit.The protests, which started last month, escalated on Monday. The students of Dhaka University clashed with the police and the supporters of Hasina’s Awami League. Over 100 people were injured.
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