KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The government has decided to bring home all Malaysians in Bangladesh due to security concerns following escalating tensions there, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The prime minister said the government prioritises the safety of Malaysians made the decision after monitoring the latest developments in Bangladesh.
“Whether they are government-sponsored or private students, we will help them. The Foreign Affairs Minister will hold a meeting if it is necessary to charter a plane to bring them back.
“The safety of Malaysians is our priority. In the first few days, the situation seemed to be under control, but now, based on information from the embassy, it seems more appropriate to bring them back,” he told reporters after opening the National Tax Conference 2024 here today.
Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, in his press conference today, said the government will bring home all Malaysians in Bangladesh after the immediate evacuation plan was greenlit by Anwar.
In Putrajaya, Mohamad said Malaysians in Bangladesh will be brought home via a special AirAsia flight from Dhaka International Airport at 10am tomorrow.
Thousands of students in Bangladesh have been demonstrating since July 1 after the court reinstated quotas for public sector jobs that were abolished in 2018.
German news agency dpa reported the government imposed a nationwide curfew and deployed the military after clashes between protesters and police, according to a military announcement on Saturday.
Mohamad said Wisma Putra has been closely monitoring the developments in Bangladesh since day one of the conflict.
“This morning, I discussed with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the phone, and he said the plan to bring back the students needs to be expedited.
“The Foreign Affairs Ministry has analysed the situation there and found this issue (conflict) will not be resolved soon, so our citizens will return home,” he said at the press conference.
There are 124 Malaysian students still in Bangladesh.
Mohamad said the special aircraft can accommodate up to 350 passengers.
“Initially, we wanted to charter a plane with a capacity of 250 people, but it was decided AirAsia will send an Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft as additional individuals might board the plane at the last minute.
“We found there are also Malaysian pilots working in Bangladesh, who have requested to return to Malaysia,” he said.
Earlier, Mohamad held a meeting with representatives of the parents of students studying in Bangladesh and affirmed the government’s commitment to bringing Malaysian students back home.
Mohamad said parents need not panic or worry about their children in Bangladesh as they are safe.
However, he said, one student at Chittagong Medical College will not be able to come home as it is about 313km from Dhaka, and the Malaysian High Commission (STM) in Dhaka has assured the student’s welfare will be taken care of.
He dismissed allegations that Wisma Putra was slow to act, saying everyone should remain calm and not create unnecessary issues.
“Everything is under STM’s supervision, and food was delivered to the students this morning,” he said.
When asked whether the STM office in Dhaka will be temporarily closed following the evacuation, Mohamad said STM officers will remain there and only their family members will be evacuated.
— Bernama
