Patna: Several thousands of students from Bihar apply to colleges and universities in Bangladesh every year with a dream of pursuing higher studies there. However, with the current political situation in Bangladesh taking a sudden violent turn, students and their families are concerned about the return of normalcy there.
As many as 15 medical science students studying in Bangladesh including six from Raxaul, three from Patna and one each from Motihari-Samastipur returned to India recently. Despite being called back by the college administration, they have decided not to return without receiving a green signal from the Indian Embassy.
In such a situation, students are distressed about their course, when classes would resume properly and prevalent security issues. Brothers Nadeem and Ashfaq, students of medical science at the President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Bangladesh returned home in Bihar after the turmoil there.
Nadeem said, "My college is located in Kishoregarh, 120 km away from Dhaka. One of our relatives asked us to leave as soon as possible after informing us about the violence and resignation of the ex-PM. We then contacted the Indian Embassy who were quick to make arrangements for us to be evacuated safely."
Ashfaq said that as many as 134 students from India are studying in his college in Bangladesh. "All of us have returned. The college has notified us about resumption of classes but nobody has returned yet. We are all waiting for the situation to turn stable," he said.
The brothers said that local students in Bangladesh, too, have not joined classes as they are scared to step out of their homes. "Currently, the administration in Bangladesh is not strong and there is chaos and disorder all around. It is not safe to return there now," said a worried Nadeem.
It is to be noted that there is huge influx of medical students from India to Bangladesh as medical courses are cheaper there than in India. In Bihar, a medical aspirant has to spend a whopping Rs one crore to earn his or her degree, Whereas, in neighbouring Bangladesh, one has to only spend Rs 25 lakhs on the course.
Apart from this, a major benefit is that 25 per cent seats are reserved for Indian students in Bangladesh. This is why, every year, about 500 students from India shift to Bangladesh for pursuing medical studies. Also, students who crack the NEET exam here do not have to appear for any separate entrance test there.
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