India is aware of the situation in Bangladesh and considers the ongoing situation in the country as an internal matter of Bangladesh, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
The MEA also said that India, being a close neighbour and friend of Bangladesh, is hopeful that the situation would return to normal and added that the government was able to arrange for the safe return of the students.
"We are aware of the situation in Bangladesh and have been closely following the developments there. India considers the ongoing situation in the country to be an internal matter of Bangladesh. With the support and cooperation of the Bangladesh government, we were able to arrange for the safe return of our students," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the weekly press briefing.
"Being a close neighbour with whom we share very warm and friendly ties, we are hopeful that the situation in the country would return to normal soon," Jaiswal added.
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Bangladesh has been reeling under deadly clashes with protesting students demanding the Sheikh Hasina-led government to scrap a controversial job quota system. At least 186 people have been killed in last week's violence.
However, the country is slowly getting back to normalcy with the authorities easing a curfew and factories and banks reopening on Wednesday.
The MEA said that around 6,700 Indian students have returned from Bangladesh amid the violent clashes in the country.
"So far 6,700 Indian students have returned from Bangladesh," Randhir Jaiswal said.
Bangladesh's Protest Note On Mamata's Comments
The MEA said that India has received a diplomatic note from Bangladesh registering its protest against the comments made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the Bangladeshi protest.
On receipt of communication from Dhaka on the comments of CM Mamata, the MEA Spokesperson said, "I can confirm that we have received a diplomatic note, a communication from the Bangladesh side protesting the comments made by the West Bengal CM. It is essentially on the lines described in the reports."
"I would underline that under the 7th Schedule, List 1 - Union List, Item 10, of our Constitution, the conduct of foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative of the Union government," Jaiswal added.
The Bangladesh's protest note comes after the Bengal CM directed the state administration to render all help and assistance to the returnees from "trouble-torn" Bangladesh.
On July 21, Banerjee said that West Bengal would keep its doors open for "people in distress" from the neighbouring country and offer them shelter.