A group of Visva-Bharati students from Bangladesh took part in a silent protest in Santiniketan on Friday evening, demanding an end to the violent agitation against the quota system in their country.

The students said they had not been able to contact their family and friends in the last 24 hours because of Internet suspension in Bangladesh.

Around 30 students from various departments assembled at the Santiniketan post office with candles, their national flag, and posters demanding peace. They demonstrated for around an hour wearing black badges and singing Rabindrasangeet. A few also spoke about their apprehension over the
recent student uprising in their country.

“We are worried as many mothers and sisters are losing their sons and brothers. We are here in a different country, leaving our families and friends. We want peace to return to Bangladesh,” said Srabony Sayantony, a student at Sangeet Bhavana.

Bangladesh has been witnessing massive student protests against the quota system in government jobs since earlier this week. To quell the violent agitation, the Sheikh Hasina government has ordered an indefinite shutdown of educational institutions across the country and suspended Internet facilities, resulting in a disruption in the communication and banking system. The protests have claimed at least 17 lives till Thursday.

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

Srabony, who is a popular singer in her country, also wrote on her social media handle about the plight of her country owing to the suspension of Internet services.

“All the banking services are suspended. It is even impossible to recharge mobile phones, resulting in a thorough disruption in communication,” she wrote on social media.

Many Bangladeshi students in Visva-Bharati claimed that they were worried about their family and friends.

“I have been desperately trying to call my family in Meherpur since Friday evening. There is no contact because of the lack of Internet services, and I am completely in the dark about what has been happening there. I am completely helpless sitting far away here,” said Amrita Sarker, a student of the music department at Visva-Bharati.

She said the disruption in banking services in her country was a cause for concern as they would run out of money if the situation prevailed for a few more days.

“The bank services are stopped in Bangladesh, and no one can send money to students like us who are staying away from home. If the situation does not change soon, many students like me might run out of funds,” she added.

Another student said that the problem of banking services is not only for those in Visva-Bharati but also for those who are staying in other countries in Europe or the US.

Atig Ghosh, the acting spokesperson for Visva-Bharati, said the university authorities have been closely monitoring the developments in the neighbouring country and they would always be on the side of the students at any point of crisis or need.

“We are keeping a close eye on developments in Bangladesh as we have many students here from the neighbouring country. If the banking issue goes on, we are here to support the students in need. We can also communicate with the office of the Bangladesh High Commission in Calcutta if it turns into a serious issue,” said Ghosh.

Protests elsewhere Several organisations staged protests in Calcutta and New Delhi against the Sheikh Hasina government’s crackdown on students in Bangladesh.
Student outfits like the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)-backed All India Democratic Students Organisation condemned the death of students in the neighbouring country. Expressing solidarity with the student protesters in Bangladesh, an AIDSO leader urged the Hasina government to hear the voice of protests on the streets. In view of the protests, security outside Bangladesh High Commission offices in India has been stepped up.
The Students’ Federation of India has also condemned the attack on students and expressed solidarity with families of those killed in the violent incidents. “The SFI wants the Hasina government to sit with representatives of protesters and initiate discussions on quota reforms,” SFI leaders V.P Sanu and Mayukh Biswas said in a signed statement.