FAMILIES HOPE FOR EXPEDITED EVACUATION OF ALL MALAYSIAN STUDENTS FROM BANGLADESH

By Nabilah Saleh

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- Family members of Malaysian students affected by the current situation in Bangladesh hope that efforts to repatriate all the students involved can be expedited, given the worsening situation there.

When contacted by Bernama via WhatsApp on Sunday, Ahmad Wafiq Aqil Kamarul, 23, a Master of Medicine and Surgery student at Mymensingh Medical College, said 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.

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"With the current situation where Internet and banking services are beginning to face disruptions nationwide, the students’ family members who held meetings here, as well as those I have met in the homeland today, also agreed that efforts to repatriate all the students need to be expedited."

“Riots could possibly take place anywhere without restrictions.  I am not sure if the ongoing conflict can be resolved in the near future," said Ahmad Wafiq Aqil, who arrived in Malaysia via a commercial flight on Thursday (18 July).

Describing the early moments of the riots, Ahmad Wafiq Aqil added that the situation worsened after Internet, mobile data networks, and public transportation services were disrupted.

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"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 (Wisma Putra) has emphasised that the safety of Malaysians abroad remains a top priority in light of the current situation in Bangladesh.

In a recent statement on Sunday, the Ministry (Wisma Putra) has confirmed that Malaysian students affected by the current situation in Bangladesh have been relocated to the High Commission building for their safety.

Wisma Putra and the Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka are considering all available options, including relocation if necessary, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and other relevant agencies to assist Malaysian students in Bangladesh, according to the statement.

As of late Friday (July 19), 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 on Saturday in response to escalating violence and protests.

-- BERNAMA