Bangladesh Medical Colleges urged to keep hostels open for Indian medical students; MEA to Delhi HC

This request has been made pursuant to the plea moved by an advocate on behalf of the Indian students who were not able to come back home after the lockdown was announced on March 23rd in view of the coronavirus epidemic.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that many Indian medical students are stuck in their college hostels in Bangladesh. Due to the temporary suspension of flights imposed by the Indian government amidst lockdown, students are unable to come back to their home country and meet their family members.

Read Also: Medical Students Stranded At India-Bangladesh Border Due To COVID 19 Lockdown

Therefore, seeking urgent intervention of the Indian government, the students moved a plea stating that there are around 581 such students in Bangladesh whose welfare and well being is at stake.

Now, during the recent hearing, Central Government Standing Counsel informed the Delhi Court that he has received instructions from the Ministry of External Affairs indicating that all medical colleges where Indian students are staying have been requested to open at least one mess facility to provide food to the students.

He further submitted that efforts have been made to provide appropriate medical and other assistance, if required, by citizens of India in Bangladesh. For this purpose, a list of Nodal Officers has already been uploaded on the website, who can be contacted by Indian citizens in case of any difficulty. The Nodal Officers are making an effort to ensure that none of the citizens of India faces any problem in any country, he added.

Then the contact details of at least one student of each of the medical college where the students are facing difficulty were sought. The government pleader submitted that the details of the representatives of the students staying in the medical colleges shall be forwarded to the Nodal Officers who shall then contact them.

The Delhi High court bench of Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and J Navin Chawla has directed MEA to submit a status report, either in the form of an affidavit or through email, before the next date of hearing.

The matter has been adjourned till April 3rd.

Attached is the order below: