Bangladeshi student in India facing deportation over 'anti-state activities'

A Bangladeshi student of Visva-Bharati University was asked to leave India after she posted photographs of protests in the university against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) on Facebook.

The first-year undergraduate student of the central university's Kala Bhavan - Afsara Anika Meem, was bullied on social media after she posted the anti-CAB protest pictures, reports The Telegraph.

Meem, hailing from Kushtia, went to India in late 2018 to pursue her Bachelor of Design degree at the department of fine arts.

A 'leave-India' letter, dated February 14, was issued to Meem by the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office of the ministry of home affairs. The letter said, "Whereas Afsara Anika Meem, holder of Bangladesh passport …Is present in India on the strength of S-1 (student) visa bearing…studying a course on Bachelor of Design at Visva-Bharati University, West Bengal. And whereas she is found to have engaged in anti-government activities. And such activity being a breach of her visa, has thus committed visa violation."

The letter also asks her to leave the country within 15 days of receiving the notice.

"I am still unable to understand what wrong I have committed to face such a punishment. I posted a few photographs out of curiosity as many of my friends participated in the protest rally," Meem said, distraught over the state's decision.

"But when I found that a particular group of people was bullying me on social media, I immediately deactivated my Facebook account," she added, saying, "I am really innocent."

Worried about her education, Meem said, "When I received the letter from the department today, a dark sense of grave loss gripped me. I came India to study at Visva-Bharati as I dream to be an artist. I don't know what will happen to me now."

One of Meem's friends said she did not participate in any anti-CAB protest.

At least 250 social media posts labelled Meem an anti-national, the friend added.

Her post attracted the attention of several right-winged people, who demanded her deportation to Bangladesh.

Sources in Bangladesh deputy high commission in Calcutta said they were not aware of the leave-India notice issued to Meem.

"But we knew that she was being targeted and informed our superiors in Dhaka. In such cases, there is very little we can do," said an official in the high commission.

"The girl was not interviewed or given any chance. The date in the letter is February 14 that means the letter was ready when the office had asked the girl to meet," a Visva-Bharati teacher said.

Meem, along with a few of her friends, will meet officials of the Foreigners Regional Registration office in Calcutta today to request them to review their decision.