Omar Abdullah urges EAM S. Jaishankar to assist Kashmiri students stranded in Bangladesh

Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday requested External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to help the Kashmiri students stranded at Indo-Bangladesh border amid the nationwide lockdown. Kashmiri students, stranded at Indo-Bangladesh border, have been told to return to their colleges and universities in the neighboring country.

Taking to Twiiter, Abdullah made an appeal to Jaishankar, asking the latter to intervene with the Government of Bangladesh to assist the students. 

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Kashmiri students stranded

A group of 70 students had left for Kashmir after Bangladesh ordered the closure of varsities in the wake of Coronavirus spread. The student said the embassy conveyed to the Bangladesh government and asked the authorities at their Colleges to open hostels for them. The distressed students said it was not safe for them to continue their stay in Bangladesh as there were not enough facilities and other safety measures to deal with the Coronavirus crisis.

“We were stranded on roads for two days and on Tuesday evening, we were asked by officials from Indian embassy to return to our colleges in Bangladesh. Despite our pleas, they didn’t allow us to enter Indian,” said a student.

To mitigate the coronavirus pandemic, Government of India has already suspended all international and domestic flights, besides sealing borders and entry points. Furthermore, the students said Bangladesh will undergo lockdown from Wednesday which will make their stay more difficult.

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Meanwhile, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir recorded its first death due to Coronavirus on Thursday. The 65-year old man from Hyderpora, Srinagar had a medical history of diabetes hypertension and obesity. Jammu and Kashmir government spokesperson Rohit Kansal informing about the death on Twitter added another four people who came in contact with the patient also tested positive on Wednesday. 

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