West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday that she understood people in Bangladesh in the wake of job reservation violence and that her government would give shelter to destitute people from the neighboring country if they sought refuge in the state.

Read in English: Mamata Banerjee on Bangladesh protests: ‘If helpless people knock on door of West Bengal, we will shelter them’

“I will not comment on Bangladesh. It's a different country. Government of India will say what needs to be said. But if the destitute knock at Bengal's door, we will shelter them. There is a UN resolution that says neighbors can help if someone is in trouble. Earlier, when some people faced problems in Assam, they took refuge in Bengal,” said Mamata Banerjee while addressing the Trinamool Congress party's Martyrs' Day rally in Kolkata.

Protests have intensified in Bangladesh over the past week against the provision of reservation in government jobs to the families of freedom struggle martyrs. More than 100 people are said to have been killed. Bangladesh's Supreme Court has again scaled back the reservation system for government jobs after nationwide tension in Bangladesh led to deadly clashes between police and protesters.

“I request everyone not to comment on Bangladesh and not fall prey to incitement. We have compassion and sympathy for those whose blood was shed. We feel sorry for those people,” said Mamata Banerjee.

The Indian government is careful not to comment saying it is an internal matter of the country. However, the Indian Mission in Bangladesh is facilitating the return of 978 Indians as the government imposed a curfew and internet blackout in Bangladesh.

Mamata Banerjee said the West Bengal government is ready to help evacuate Indians stuck in Bangladesh. “If Indians have relatives in Bangladesh… they may have gone to work or study there. We are ready to help them come back,” he said.

“Hundreds of students and others from Bangladesh affected by these issues are returning to West Bengal/India. I have requested our state administration to extend all help and assistance to the returnees. For example, today around 300 students arrived at Hilli border and most of them left safely for their respective places: however, 35 of them needed assistance and we provided them with basic amenities and necessary facilities. We stand united,” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told X Page after the party rally.

Indian exports through Petrapol, South Asia's largest land port on the India-Bangladesh border, have been halted amid ongoing student protests in the neighboring country. This comes after an internet blackout in Bangladesh and fears of a stampede by exporters who refused to send goods and trucks to Bangladesh, with more than 600 trucks parked near the Petrapol port.

Meanwhile, protests on the Bangladesh issue were recently held in Kolkata by some left-wing organisations.

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