Dhaka: In a major step towards strengthening academic cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh, Dhaka University (DU) has officially lifted its ban on admission of Pakistani students.
The decision, which was approved during a union meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmad Khan on November 13, was confirmed by Vice-Chancellor (Administrative) Professor Saima Haq Bidisha, News I mentioned.
Under the updated policy, Pakistani students will now be eligible to enroll in Dhaka University, while Bangladeshi students will likewise be encouraged to pursue higher education opportunities in Pakistan.
University officials expect this step to enhance cooperation in education, culture and other areas of common interest.
Explaining the decision, Professor Bidisha said that despite severing ties with Pakistan in the past, the university recognized its responsibility as an academic institution to facilitate opportunities for students.
“At some point, ties with Pakistan were severed, but Dhaka University is an academic institution. Many of our students need to visit Pakistan for scholarships or academic conferences,” she said.
She added: “We resolved this issue through discussion to restore normal relations.”
The decision was taken from a purely academic perspective and did not involve any discussions on sensitive political issues.
“It is about academic cooperation, not political dialogue,” Bedisha added.
The ban has been in place since December 2015, when an emergency meeting of the union, led by then Vice-Chancellor AAMS Professor Arefin Siddique, imposed the restriction.