'No Way of Knowing if They're Safe': Kin of Kashmiris Stranded in Bangladesh

Several Kashmiris have anxiously been waiting for a call from their relatives stranded in conflict-torn Bangladesh.

Despite calm prevailing in Dhaka and most major cities in Bangladesh, the curfew persists, alongside internet and telecommunications shutdowns continuing into Tuesday, 23 July.

(Photo: PTI)

It has been more than three days since Abdul Hameed Baba from Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore last heard from his daughter Afreen Jan, who is pursuing an MBBS degree in Bangladesh amid ongoing violent protests in the country, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 160 people so far.

Despite calm prevailing in the capital Dhaka and most major cities in Bangladesh, the curfew persists, alongside internet and telecommunications shutdowns continuing into Tuesday, 23 July.

Baba, along with his entire family, anxiously awaits a call from his daughter – who remains stranded in the country.

The student-led protests, sparked by the Bangladesh High Court's decision to reinstate a 30 percent government job quota for descendants of the 1971 war veterans, have intensified unrest in the country. 

Last week, the police failed to quell violent protests, prompting the Bangladesh government led by Sheikh Hasina to declare a nationwide curfew and deploy the army.

The protests, resulting in clashes, fatalities, internet shutdown, and ultimately curfew, have heightened fear and anxiety among foreign students, with many feeling trapped and helpless.

On Sunday, 21 July, despite the Bangladesh's Supreme Court scaling back the quota system for civil service jobs but not scrapping the reservation policy entirely, authorities extended a nationwide curfew and issued “shoot-on-sight” orders to the police to quell the violence and clashes.

'No Contact Due to Communications Blockade' 

Due to the communication blockade, Baba has been unable to contact his daughter, who arrived in Dhaka just two months ago.

“I am deeply concerned about the safety of my daughter, who is in her first year of MBBS. We have no way of knowing if she is safe and well because communication is blocked, and we fear she might be experiencing stress,” sighed Baba.

In Kashmir’s saffron town Pampore, Abrar Ahmad Shah along with his family is also worried about the safety of his younger brother Shah Faisal Irshad, a second year MBBS student at the Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital in Dhaka.

“I am uncertain about my brother’s safety after hearing about the deaths of many students in Bangladesh during the ongoing protests. The telecommunication network shutdown has prevented me from contacting him. Although he replied to one text message saying he's fine, I have not heard from him since then,” Shah told The Quint.

Parents of thousands of Kashmiri students stranded at various medical colleges in Bangladesh are demanding the evacuation of their children, citing safety concerns.

Both Baba and Shah have also urged the Indian government to expedite the return of their children as soon as possible.

Riyaz Ahmad Sheikh from South Kashmir’s Kulgam recalled how his son, Sheikh Rusheel, could only manage to say in a broken voice that he was okay.

“We are deeply concerned about our son's safety and urgently appeal to the Indian government to expedite the evacuation of all Kashmiri students trapped in Bangladesh," he said.

'No Information on What's Happening Outside': Stranded Kashmiris

Despite the internet shutdown and suspension of mobile networks at various places in Dhaka, The Quint managed to speak to several stranded Kashmiri students. 

Siffat Hussain from Soura, Srinagar, currently in his final year of MBBS at Bangladesh Medical College, the oldest private medical college in the country, said that due to the ongoing unrest students are confined to their hostels. 

“We are staying indoors because of the complete curfew outside. With the communication blackout, we have no information about what's happening outside. Firing and shelling on the streets over two consecutive days led to the imposition of curfew.”

Siffat Hussain

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka has already advised Indian students and community members to avoid local travel and to not leave their accommodations unless absolutely necessary.

Emergency helpline numbers have been provided to assist people amid the suspension of internet services and mobile networks.

Hussain told The Quint that students are somehow maintaining regular contact with the Indian Embassy in Bangladesh but urged the Indian government to evacuate all students as soon as possible. 

“We are uncertain about what will happen once the curfew is lifted. I have been here since 2019 and I have never seen such a situation before. The gunfire and explosions outside our hostel have instilled fear among students, who are eager to return home. Some female students are suffering from anxiety and living in constant fear due to the ongoing unrest," he said.

The situation escalated significantly last week when demonstrators stormed a jail in the central district of Narsingdi, freeing hundreds of inmates and setting the facility on fire.

Yasir Hameed, another student from Srinagar’s Hyderpora studying at Bangladesh Medical College, tells The Quint that the violence was exacerbated by the broader economic downturn — high inflation, rising unemployment, and dwindling foreign exchange reserves.

“We have managed to secure groceries for a few days, but with the growing unrest, it is crucial for us to be repatriated home urgently. The college authorities have not made any arrangements to facilitate our return. Without internet connectivity, we are unable to make or receive payments to book air tickets for our journey back home.”

Yasir Hameed

Hameed added in a broken voice that approximately 50 Kashmiri boys and 70 Kashmiri girls are currently confined to their hostels and are unable to contact their families.

The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has also made an appeal to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar urging immediate assistance in relocating and ensuring the safety of Kashmiri students in Bangladesh.

"We have been inundated with distress calls from Kashmiri students across various colleges and universities in Bangladesh, pleading for their return. Parents are enduring profound anguish over the safety of their children, especially after one girl student's passport was stolen and she was prevented from crossing the border,” JKSA Convenor Nasir Khuehami told The Quint.

Leaders of the National Conference (NC), the People's Democratic Party (PDP), and Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) also appealed to the government to take immediate steps to bring Kashmiri students back home.

PDP chief and former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“As protests & turmoil grip Bangladesh, I urge @DrSJaishankar to urgently intervene & ensure the safety of thousands of Kashmiri students in Bangladesh. Internet services being suspended has only added to the distress of their parents. Immediate steps must be taken to bring them back home.”

Similarly, senior NC leader and Srinagar MP Ruhullah Mehdi wrote on X: “Dear @MEAIndia, please ensure the safe passage and return of Kashmiri students from Bangladesh amidst the ongoing unrest. Parents of these students are extremely worried as there is no or little communication.”

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 778 Indian students have safely returned to India via land ports, and another 200 have flown home from Dhaka and Chittagong airports.

The MEA in a press release claimed that the High Commission of India in Dhaka is actively assisting over 4,000 students across Bangladesh's universities.

Students Take Charge Amid Administrative Failure

Rayees Ali, who runs an education consultancy in Kashmir, told The Quint that despite the challenges faced by Kashmiri students, many have taken matters into their own hands due to inadequate support from college authorities and the government.

For instance, he said that some students have arranged private ambulances at their own expense, often traveling during the dead of night to reach the airport.

“I am in constant touch with students, and so far, around 250 of them have managed to reach the airport, with many even reaching Kolkata. While students outside Dhaka have been able to make their way to the airport, those in the capital city are still encountering difficulties leaving their locations,” said Ali. 

Azmat Bashir, a final-year MBBS student from Bandipora in North Kashmir, who arrived in Kolkata on 20 July along with 50 other Indian students, told The Quint that the college administration in Jessore, located 185 kilometres from Dhaka, facilitated the evacuation of all stranded Indian students located there.

“Our evacuation was organised by the college authorities, who provided us with buses and security to safely reach the border. There were clashes between protesters and police in Jessore for two days, but eventually nearly 50 Indian students, including six Kashmiri students, managed to return home safely," recalled Bashir, who spoke to The Quint while waiting for her flight to Srinagar from Kolkata Airport.

Bashir added that the situation in Dhaka was particularly tense compared to other parts of Bangladesh, and due to the internet shutdown the full extent of the situation could not be accurately assessed.

Despite repeated attempts, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri could not be reached for comment.