Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Syed Maroof has advised Pakistani students in the country to remain “cautious” and avoid unnecessary trips outside their hostels as the situation was not completely normal after protests over employment quotas sparked widespread unrest.

“The situation in Bangladesh has not yet fully normalised,” he said while appearing via video link on the Rubarro aired on Aaj News on Thursday.

At least 174 people died, including several police officers, and more than 2,500 were arrested in days of violence in Bangladesh, according to an AFP count of victims reported by police and hospitals.

What began as demonstrations against politicised admission quotas for sought-after government jobs snowballed last week into some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.

A curfew was imposed and soldiers were deployed across the South Asian country. A nationwide internet blackout drastically restricted the flow of information, upending daily life for many.

Envoy Maroof said that the students who had expressed consent had been brought to the embassy, and the entire kitchen has been made available to them. “They can prepare whatever they wish, as all necessary provisions have been arranged for them.”

He claimed that the embassy was playing the role of a “communication bridge” between Pakistani students and their families. While mobile phone services and the internet are currently blocked, the Pakistani high commissioner stated that landline connections were still functioning to some extent.

The embassy was using landlines to inquire about the well-being of the students and then relay the information to their families, he added.

While addressing the concerns of parents, the Pakistani ambassador assured that their “children are safe” and expressed hope that they would be able to return to their respective educational institutions soon.

The ambassador also mentioned that Bangladesh was a suitable destination for medical education in the South Asian region. “Unfortunately, a security situation had arisen, which he hopes will not continue going forward.”

According to Maroof, the student-led movement against the job quota system was improving after the Supreme Court’s ruling on the matter.

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Earlier this week, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court scrapped most of the quotas on government jobs that have sparked student-led protests. The court’s Appellate Division dismissed a lower court order that had reinstated the quotas, directing that 93% of government jobs will be open to candidates on merit, without quotas, the reports said.

The envoy added that a tour of Dhaka was organised for all ambassadors and foreign missions on Tuesday. He noted that the traffic and rush on the streets of Dhaka have returned to their previous levels, which was a relief, especially for Pakistani students studying in the country.