SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association here on sunday expressed gratitude to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for their prompt intervention in facilitating the return of Hadiya Rafiq, a medical student stranded in Bangladesh due to passport theft issue.
In a statement, National President of the Association Ummar Jamal, thanked the MEA for their swift action in helping Hadiya Rafiq, an MBBS student at the Diabetic Association Medical College in Faridpur, Bangladesh. “We are deeply grateful to the Ministry of External Affairs for their prompt action in facilitating the return of Hadiya Rafiq. Her ordeal at the Kolkata border was distressing, and the MEA’s intervention was crucial in resolving the situation,” Jamal stated.
Hadiya encountered significant challenges on May 28, 2024, when her passport was stolen. She then lodged complaints with her college authorities and the local Bangladeshi police and subsequently applied for a reissued passport at the High Commission of India in Dhaka on June 5, 2024, paying Rs 16,000. Despite these efforts, her new passport had not yet been issued, it emphasized.
On July 20, 2024, the High Commission of India instructed all female students to vacate the college premises and provided transportation to the Kolkata border. Hadiya was assured she could travel based on her reissued passport receipt. However, at 8 PM on the same day, Hadiya was the only student denied entry into India, while her peers were allowed to cross. Stranded with no place to stay after her hostel had been evacuated, she contacted the High Commission but was told they couldn’t assist at the moment, Association said.
Hadiya found herself in a precarious situation until the J&K Students Association took up her case. We urgently raised the matter with the MEA, emphasizing the immediate need for assistance to either allow her to cross the border or provide temporary accommodation and support, It asserted.
Malik Adnan, National Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, also expressed his appreciation. “The MEA’s timely assistance not only brought her home safely but also reassured many other students and their families. We hope to maintain this level of cooperation to support our students in future emergencies,” Adnan remarked.
Following the intervention of the JKSA and the MEA, Hadiya Rafiq has confirmed her safe passage. She received departure clearance from Bangladesh and arrival clearance at the Petrapol, Kolkata border. Hadiya has informed JKSA that she has crossed safely and is on her way to her native place, Budgam, Kashmir. The coordinated efforts ensured her safe return, marking a significant relief for her and her family.

KR Desk