New Delhi: Nearly 170 non-essential staff and their families, besides some seriously ill citizens of India have “voluntarily” returned from Bangladesh amid deteriorating security in the troubled country, ThePrint has learnt.
However, sources in the security establishment said that senior diplomats and essential staff of the Indian High Commission continue to remain in Bangladesh, adding that the High Commission was fully functional.
Sources said all those from the non-essential staff who wanted to return have been brought back along with families via a special Air India aircraft.
They added that the High Commissioner along with senior diplomats and essential staff continue to remain in Dhaka and engage with the authorities there.
Incidentally, the Army has taken control of the security of the diplomatic area in Dhaka which was earlier manned by the police.
Talking about the return of the Indian officials, sources said that as the situation had deteriorated, option was given to the non-essential staff to return.
This they said was prior to the fall of the Hasina government.
Also read: Sheikh Hasina reached out to India for safe passage, now on her way to London