KUALA LUMPUR – A chartered flight carrying 123 Malaysians, who were evacuated from the recent deadly violence in Bangladesh, safely landed in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, as confirmed by Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The evacuation follows a week of student-led protests against government job quotas in Bangladesh, which escalated into violence, resulting in at least 147 fatalities. In response to the unrest, Bangladesh’s top court decided to scrap most of the quotas, and the government implemented measures including shutting down internet services, imposing a curfew, and deploying the army.
The flight, which transported 80 students among the passengers, arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, marking a successful return for the evacuees. “We are grateful for the safe return of our Malaysian citizens,” Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated during a press conference.
While many Malaysians opted to return home, some chose to remain in Bangladesh. Saifuddin noted that these individuals were either in their final year of studies or working in the country, though he did not provide further details.
Cassandra David, a Malaysian student at Dhaka Medical College, expressed her gratitude towards the government for the evacuation efforts. “Our wellbeing was very much taken care of,” she said at the press conference. This evacuation underscores the Malaysian government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of its citizens abroad amid the ongoing political and social upheaval in Bangladesh.