NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh government on Wednesday raised strong objections to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s remark on the Bangladeshi students’ quota protest that spiralled into deadly violence claiming the lives of over 100 people.
Bangladesh High Commission in India called Mamata Banjree’s remark “provocative”, which had “false elements concerning the internal affairs of Bangladesh, reported to news agency ANI citing sources.
The Bangladeshi objection comes days after the West Bengal CM directed the state administration to render all help and assistance to the returnees from “trouble-torn” Bangladesh.
“Hundreds of students and others are returning to West Bengal/ India, from the trouble-torn Bangladesh. I have asked our State administration to render all help and assistance to the returnees. For instance, around 300 students arrived at Hilli border today and most of them left for their respective destinations safely: 35 of them, however, needed help and we provided them with basic amenities and facilitation assistance. United we stand!” Mamata wrote in a post on X.
The Bangladesh government claimed they were trying to bring normalcy and labelled CM Mamata’s remark “misleading”.
“Further Bangladesh government informed that they are trying to bring normalcy, and such remarks (particularly on the deaths of students) by the chief minister of West Bengal is misleading,” reported ANI citing sources.
They also said that Mamata’s reference to the UN resolution on refugees does not stand as it does not apply to the prevailing situation in Bangladesh.
Further, Bangladesh said this kind of comment, in particular the assurance of giving refuge to the people, may provoke many people, especially the terrorists and miscreants to take advantage of such an announcement, reported the agency.
CM Mamata Banerjee had said that her government would provide shelter to people from violence-hit Bangladesh and would not turn anyone away “if they come knocking on our doors”.
“I cannot make any comments on the situation in Bangladesh as it is another country and only the Indian govt has the right to speak about it. But if helpless people (from Bangladesh) knock on Bengal’s doors, we will give them shelter. There is a resolution of the United Nations to respect refugees from neighbouring nations. There was once a conflict with the Bodos in Assam. Refugees stayed in Alipurduar for a long time. I also went to meet them,” Mamata said.
She had also assured of all possible assistance to anyone from Bengal or their relatives who may have been stranded in Bangladesh.
“If someone has gone to Bangladesh for studies or for medical treatment and is stuck there, we are here to help in any way needed,” she said.
Meanwhile, rush-hour traffic returned to the streets of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Wednesday, as a curfew was eased after four days of nationwide shutdown that followed deadly protests led by university students against quotas in government jobs.
Bangladesh High Commission in India called Mamata Banjree’s remark “provocative”, which had “false elements concerning the internal affairs of Bangladesh, reported to news agency ANI citing sources.
The Bangladeshi objection comes days after the West Bengal CM directed the state administration to render all help and assistance to the returnees from “trouble-torn” Bangladesh.
“Hundreds of students and others are returning to West Bengal/ India, from the trouble-torn Bangladesh. I have asked our State administration to render all help and assistance to the returnees. For instance, around 300 students arrived at Hilli border today and most of them left for their respective destinations safely: 35 of them, however, needed help and we provided them with basic amenities and facilitation assistance. United we stand!” Mamata wrote in a post on X.
The Bangladesh government claimed they were trying to bring normalcy and labelled CM Mamata’s remark “misleading”.
“Further Bangladesh government informed that they are trying to bring normalcy, and such remarks (particularly on the deaths of students) by the chief minister of West Bengal is misleading,” reported ANI citing sources.
They also said that Mamata’s reference to the UN resolution on refugees does not stand as it does not apply to the prevailing situation in Bangladesh.
Further, Bangladesh said this kind of comment, in particular the assurance of giving refuge to the people, may provoke many people, especially the terrorists and miscreants to take advantage of such an announcement, reported the agency.
CM Mamata Banerjee had said that her government would provide shelter to people from violence-hit Bangladesh and would not turn anyone away “if they come knocking on our doors”.
“I cannot make any comments on the situation in Bangladesh as it is another country and only the Indian govt has the right to speak about it. But if helpless people (from Bangladesh) knock on Bengal’s doors, we will give them shelter. There is a resolution of the United Nations to respect refugees from neighbouring nations. There was once a conflict with the Bodos in Assam. Refugees stayed in Alipurduar for a long time. I also went to meet them,” Mamata said.
She had also assured of all possible assistance to anyone from Bengal or their relatives who may have been stranded in Bangladesh.
“If someone has gone to Bangladesh for studies or for medical treatment and is stuck there, we are here to help in any way needed,” she said.
Meanwhile, rush-hour traffic returned to the streets of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Wednesday, as a curfew was eased after four days of nationwide shutdown that followed deadly protests led by university students against quotas in government jobs.