Press Release

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade is in constant touch with the Royal Bhutanese Embassy in Dhaka and continuing to monitor the situation in Bangladesh.

As of today, the curfew in Bangladesh has been lifted with time restrictions from 10 am to 5 pm starting today. Government offices have also reopened with effect from today with time restrictions from 11 am to 3 pm.

Nine Bhutanese students from Chittagong have returned to Bhutan yesterday via flight from Chittagong-Kolkatta-Bagdoraand by road to Phuntsholing. Meanwhile, other remaining Bhutanese students in Bangladesh are safe in their respective colleges. RBE Dhaka is in constant touch with all the students and monitoring their conditions.

Yesterday (23rdJuly), upon Ministry's request, the Foreign Minister LyonpoD. N. Dhungyelmet with the Bangladesh Ambassador to Bhutan in Lyonpo'soffice. The Ambassador was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Bangladesh Mission while the Foreign Ministry officials (officiating Foreign Secretary, Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Protocol) were also present. The Ambassador briefed on the developments of the situation in Bangladesh and submitted copies of diplomatic briefings conducted by Bangladesh Foreign Ministry to the diplomatic corps in Dhaka. The Ambassador also shared that due to the disruption of internet communications with Dhaka from outside the country, the Bangladesh Embassy was communicating via Delhi and Washington although few reserved hotline/fax communication lines were open with the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry.

LyonpoDhungyelexpressed concerns for the remaining Bhutanese in Bangladesh and sought any assistance from the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry in the event evacuation of the Bhutanese students, particularly from outside Dhaka to Bhutan was required. Lyonpoalso informed that there were around 300 Bhutanese trucks stranded at BurimariIndo-Bangladesh border for which permit to move to Bhutan was requested. (By evening yesterday, the Bhutanese trucks were allowed to return to Bhutan).

The Ministry is regularly responding to queries about the situation of Bhutanese in Bangladesh and has been issuing Press Releases on daily basis. The Ministry has also been facilitating the evacuation of Bhutanese from Bangladesh to Bhutan. Mr. SangyeChewang, Chief of Consular Affairs Division, Department of Protocol and Consular Affairs (17624044) isthe focal contact officer for any queries on the current situation in Bangladesh.