Bangladesh was thrown into turmoil on Monday after the army took charge following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation in the wake of violent anti-quota protests by students.

The recent protests, which saw hundreds of students killed, prompted Hasina to leave the country in a hurry. She is learnt to have landed in neighbouring India’s Tripura state by an army helicopter, and is reportedly planning to move on to Europe.

In a televised address to the nation following Hasina’s departure, Bangladeshi army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman announced the formation of a new interim government.

The situation is a grim reminder of Sri Lanka in 2022, when protesters ousted the ruling Rajapaksha family from the country. Some social media users in Nepal suggested their homeland could face a similar situation due to mounting public frustration over the economic crisis, lack of jobs, and mass exodus of youths and students who seek opportunities abroad.

The Nepali Embassy in Dhaka has issued an advisory for Nepalis staying in Bangladesh regarding their safety amid the ongoing unrest there.

The Embassy released a notice on Monday requesting all Nepali nationals staying in Bangladesh to stay safe and secure in their current locations and take help from the embassy if they need repatriation.

According to the embassy, currently, there are around 400 Nepalis in Bangladesh as most of the Nepalis there have already returned home earlier.

Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued any statement on the unfolding situation in Bangladesh, a key partner in SAARC, BIMSTEC, and other regional and global forums, Nepal has issued “red alert” at some key border points in eastern Nepal. This precaution aims to prevent any spillover effect from Bangladesh’s unrest, including illegal border crossings and infiltration along the porous Nepal-India border.

It is relatively easier for Bangladeshi nationals to enter Nepal via India through various districts in the Koshi Province.

Many nationals from third countries have entered Nepal via India and sought shelter as ‘refugees’ here.

Earlier, groups of Rohingyas illegally entered Nepal via the Mechi Bridge and other entry points, eventually reaching Kathmandu after the military coup in Myanmar. Similarly, following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, some Afghans entered Nepal as ‘refugees’ via India.

A meeting of the central security committee headed by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak was convened at the Home Ministry to discuss the latest situation in Bangladesh and the security along the Nepal-India border. After the meeting, according to home ministry officials, directives were issued to security forces in order to increase vigilance along the border.

“We have issued a ‘red alert’ at the entry points mainly in eastern Nepal, and stepped up vigilance along the Nepal-India border due to the unfolding situation inside Bangladesh,” DIG Kumar Neupane, spokesperson of the Armed Police Force, told the Post.

“We have increased our regular checks, boosted deployment, and tightened security at checkpoints, mostly in Koshi, Madhesh, and Lumbini provinces,” said Neupane. “We are also closely monitoring the situation across the Nepal-India border.”

“From Ilam to Lumbini province, we have increased vigilance to stop any kind of illegal crossing besides that of Indian nationals,” he said.

The Armed Police Force guarding the Nepal-India border has set up over 244 border outposts.

Besides the Armed Police Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed other security agencies, such as the Nepal Police and National Intelligence Department, to increase vigilance and deployment along the Nepal-India border.

Experts and diplomats have also expressed concerns about the unfolding situation in Bangladesh. “The government should speak up,” said Madhuraman Acharya, former foreign secretary and ambassador. “The unfolding situation in neighbouring Bangladesh is a matter of concern that the government of Nepal should keep a close watch on, and it should call for a speedy return to normalcy, peace, and order in that country in line with the wishes of the Bangladeshi people.”

As chaos and unrest began in Bangladesh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Nepali students to stay safe and facilitated the return of those who wanted to return home via land and air.

“The government of Nepal should formulate its position and call for the restoration of normalcy and peace in Bangladesh,” said Acharya.

Some experts believe the emerging situation in Bangladesh will have ripple effects across South Asia, noting that the circumstances in Sri Lanka in 2022 and now in Bangladesh are totally different.

While the events in Sri Lanka were fueled by an economic crisis, Bangladesh’s economy is one of the most robust in South Asia. But Hasina was accused of accumulating and misusing power.

“The dramatic regime change in Bangladesh will reverberate through the region,” said Nischal Nath Pandey, director of Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS). “Having a supermajority in parliament is not enough,” he noted.

“Bad governance, impunity, massive corruption, self-centred leadership and cronyism can lead to youth disenchantment,” he said, adding that Nepali leadership should also learn from Bangladesh’s experience.

“Good governance, corruption control, appointments based on merit, and understanding youth sentiments are key to political survival.”