Anxiety has gripped Bangladeshi students in Santiniketan and Visva-Bharati authorities since Monday afternoon, fearing the consequences of turbulent developments in the neighbouring country since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the nation.

While the students are worried about the well-being of their families, the varsity authorities don’t know if the development would adversely impact ongoing exchange programmes and the development of Bangladesh Bhavana, a facility built by the Sheikh Hasina government.

“It is worrisome for us to see the developments in Bangladesh as we have many students from the neighbouring country. Currently, we are watching the continuous developments happening in Bangladesh. We will support the students studying here, in case they face any crisis,” said Atig Ghosh, acting public relations officer of Visva-Bharati.

Every year, around 60-80 students from Bangladesh take admission to Visva-Bharati in undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD courses. Among the foreign students, the number of Bangladeshi students is the highest.

The students expressed concern for their families in Bangladesh, as the ouster of Sheikh Hasina has not yet neutralised the situation. The videos of vandalism, violence, and turbulent situations they received on their mobile phones intensifiedtheir anxiety.

“We expected that the ongoing violence would end after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and departure. But the information we have been receiving while being in a different country is in no way satisfactory. I am afraid the common people of the country, especially minorities, might not have the option to live peacefully,” said a student, who wished to remain anonymous.

“In Santiniketan, we protested against the killings of students by the Sheikh Hasina government and demanded the return of peace. It is unfortunate if peace does not return even after the PM’s departure,” the student added.

On July 19, when several protesting students were killed by the police in Bangladesh, around 30 students from various Visva-Bharati departments held a procession to protest the atrocities.

Srabony Sayantoni, a student of Visva-Bharati’s Sangit Bhavana, the department of music, said the protests were a mass movement supported by people from several spheres.

“Common people of Bangladesh directly or indirectly supported this movement. If we call it freedom (from the Sheikh Hasina regime), then we must retain peace and ensure protection for every citizen,” said Sayantoni, who is also a popular singer in the neighbouring country.

Another student from Bangladesh, Arpita Mallick, echoed her sentiments.

After the fall of the Hasina government, the university authorities are worried about the future activities at Bangladesh Bhavana, which was built by the Bangladesh government for exchange programs between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Hasina jointly inaugurated the building in 2018 amid much fanfare. Earlier last month, a team from the Bangladesh government visited Santiniketan and added a few more items to its museum. A proposal was made to telecast the biopic of Hasina’s father and former president of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, shortly alongwith several joint exchange programmes.

“There were a slew of joint cultural and educational programmes at Bangladesh Bhavana. Now, it is uncertain whether such programmes will continue in the future. We are observing the situation,” said Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, chief coordinator of Bangladesh Bhavana.

Since Bangladesh Bhavana was set up, the flow of students from Bangladeshhas increased.