GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 1st December, Amid escalating violence against minorities in Bangladesh and the controversial arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a growing number of students from marginalized communities are fleeing the country to pursue higher education in West Bengal, India.
One such student, Meena Sarkar (name changed for security reasons), has found refuge in West Bengal, where she is now pursuing a postgraduate degree in mass communication. Meena, a former student at Dhaka University, represents many others who were forced to leave their homeland, fearing for their safety and the well-being of their families.
Meena recounted the terrifying night of August 5, when her family’s ancestral home in Rangpur was attacked by a mob following the ouster of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after months of student-led protests. “A mob stormed into our home, ransacked everything, and we fled to a field behind our house, where we hid for the entire night,” she said.
The next day, the army escorted Meena and her family to a relief camp, eventually relocating them to Dhaka. However, the incident left an indelible mark on her. “I decided that it was no longer possible to stay in Bangladesh. After immense effort, I secured admission to a university in West Bengal and managed to get a visa. Now, I am here in India, but my heart aches for my family, who are still in danger,” she shared.
Meena’s story is one of many. Students from minority communities in Bangladesh are increasingly leaving the country, citing a climate of fear and insecurity. “Our family neither left in 1947 nor during the 1971 Liberation War, but the situation now is so dire that we have no choice,” Meena said.
Her father, who still resides in Bangladesh, longs to move to India permanently. “Every day, he tells me he wants to come here and spend his last days in safety,” she added.
While Meena has managed to find safety in West Bengal, her family in Bangladesh continues to face uncertainty. Her brothers, one of whom is a professor, and her parents, who have lost their ancestral home, remain vulnerable to the ongoing violence. “I fear for them every single day,” she said.
The growing migration of students like Meena underscores the worsening plight of minorities in Bangladesh, raising urgent questions about the state of human rights and security in the country. As political instability and targeted attacks continue to force families to flee, India has become a sanctuary for those seeking safety and a future.
Meena’s story highlights not just the personal struggles of displaced individuals but also the broader challenges faced by minorities in a volatile political landscape. For many, leaving their homeland is not just a choice—it is a necessity for survival.
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