The Ministry of External Affairs has “strongly advised” Indian nationals against travelling to Bangladesh till further notice. It also advised all Indian nationals presently in Bangladesh “to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements and remain in contact with the High Commission of India in Dhaka emergency phone numbers: +8801958383679, +8801958383680, +8801937400591”

In its latest press release, the Ministry said that this advisory is in view of the ongoing developments in the neighbour country.

In fresh violence in Bangladesh on Sunday, around 100 people, mostly students, were reportedly killed as the student protested against the quota system in the country that reserves 30% of the civil service posts for the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters in the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Before Sunday, the death toll from the protest that began in June 2024 was said to be over 200. The students are now also demanding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina take responsibility for the deaths and resign from the post which she has been holding for over 20 years.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, on Sunday, made an urgent appeal to the Bangladeshi government and the security forces “to abide by their obligations to protect the right to life, and the freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.”

He stressed that the “Government must cease targeting those participating peacefully in the protest movement, immediately release those arbitrarily detained, restore full Internet access, and create conditions for meaningful dialogue.” The continuing effort to suppress popular discontent, including through the excessive use of force, and the deliberate spread of misinformation and incitement to violence, must immediately cease, Türk added.

Read more: Protests put Bangladesh on the edge of a precipice