Dhaka University ends restriction on Pakistani students

DHAKA: In a major step towards enhancing academic collaboration between the Pakistan and Bangladesh, Dhaka University (DU) has officially reversed its ban on admitting Pakistani students.

The decision, approved during a syndicate meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmad Khan on November 13, was confirmed by Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Admin) Prof Sayma Haque Bidisha, The News reported.

Under the updated policy, Pakistani students will now be eligible to enroll at Dhaka University, while Bangladeshi students will similarly be encouraged to pursue higher education opportunities in Pakistan.

University officials expect that the move will strengthen collaboration in education, culture, and other areas of mutual interest.

Explaining the decision, Prof Bidisha said that while ties with Pakistan had been severed in the past, the university recognised its responsibility as an academic institution to facilitate opportunities for students.

“At one point, ties with Pakistan were cut, but Dhaka University is an academic institution. Many of our students need to visit Pakistan for scholarships or academic conferences,” she said

“We resolved this issue through discussion to restore normal relations,” she added.

The decision was made purely from an academic perspective and did not involve any discussions on sensitive political matters.

“This is about academic cooperation, not political dialogue,” Bidisha added.

The ban had been in place since December 2015, when an emergency syndicate meeting led by then-Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique imposed the restriction.