Around 2,500 Bangladeshis to remain stuck in India

The Bangladeshis stranded in India  amid the nationwide lockdown, imposed to curb the coronavirus outbreak,  will have to wait till the lockdown is relaxed to return, said officials  concerned yesterday.

Earlier this week, the Bangladesh foreign  ministry had said it was weighing options of chartering a flight to  repatriate the stranded Bangladeshis, mostly in Chennai and Bengaluru.

However,  that is not possible now because many of those who had wanted to return  home are not agreeing to the fare that Biman Bangladesh Airlines is  asking, a foreign ministry official told The Daily Star requesting  anonymity.

On Thursday, the Indian government decided to allow  transit arrangements for foreign nationals who are stranded in the  country during the ongoing nationwide lockdown.

"Indian Ministry  of External Affairs is helping. There won't be a problem for those  stranded there. The Bangladesh government took measures for money  transfer to them from their relatives so that they don't have problems  for house rent, food and visas," the official said.

Of the 2,500  stranded Bangladeshis, more than 1,000 are students, mostly in Punjab,  Hyderabad and Delhi. They are staying in hostels and have no problem,  the official also said.

India began a 21-day nationwide lockdown  from March 25 to stop the spread of coronavirus. No foreign national or  Indian expatriates can fly to India during this time. Domestic flights  and interstate transport systems have also been suspended. The Indian  government is also discouraging international travel from India.

Meanwhile,  the foreign ministry in a statement said that the Bangladesh High  Commission in Delhi is maintaining contact with the stranded  Bangladeshis via telephone, hotline and ensuring their welfare.

"Our missions in India are taking care of them if they face financial or other problems," the statement said.

"The  government is committed to bringing back the stranded Bangladeshis in  India and other countries once the situation normalises," it added.