Bangladeshi students likely to fly home from Kyrgyzstan on chartered flights

Time Digital Report: Bangladeshis, studying in Kyrgyzstan, are planning to fly home on chartered flights amid a tense situation prevailing in Bishkek, a student representative said.

Mobs attacked medical students, including Bangladeshis, Indians, and Pakistanis, in the Kyrgyzstani capital on Friday and now they are staying indoors fearing further attacks.

"Since last night, there have been no major attacks in hostels of international students, but there were some reports of local youths intimidating the foreigners and looting," said Dr Jerit Islam, a representative of the Bangladeshi students in Bishkek.

He said Kyrgyz authorities have deployed 2,700 police personnel and the situation is now much better.

However, foreign students have still been advised not to go out of the hostels or flats, Dr Jerit said.

He said that they were planning to return home after their semester final exam by late June, but now that the exams are yet to be completed, they will sit for the exams online and return home by chartered flights.

"We have also talked to our embassy in Uzbekistan. They said they would support us by communicating with the civil aviation authorities of Kyrgyzstan," Jerit said.

"It won't be safe if we plan to fly home individually," Jerit added.

According to Dawn, a special flight carrying the first batch of Pakistan students from Bishkek landed at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport late last night after the foreigners were subjected to mob violence last night.

Quoting the Kyrgyz press, the Pakistan Embassy in Bishkek said some mob violence against foreign students took place in the capital since Friday evening.

Tensions boiled over on May 13 after videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt were shared online.