Thirty-seven medical colleges in Bangladesh where Nepali students enroll for MBBS and BDS programs have been blacklisted, putting the fate of more than 200 Nepalis studying there in the balance.
According to a letter sent by the Embassy of Nepal in Bangladesh to Nepal Medical Council, some of the 37 blacklisted colleges are running without complying with the criteria set by the Bangladesh authorities, while some aren’t even registered.
“Medical colleges in Bangladesh are controlled and regulated by the University Grants Commission, Directorate General of Health Services and Bangladesh Medical Council. The colleges must be approved by the three regulatory bodies. The blacklisted colleges aren’t approved by all the three regulatory bodies,” NMC Chairman Prof Dharma Kanta Baskota told THT. The council has cautioned Nepali students against enrolling in these colleges.
The reports published in The Himalayan Times reports quoting NMC officials that the future of Nepalese students is uncertain. “It is the university’s responsibility to transfer affected students to other medical colleges affiliated to it. But as every college has limited seats it will be difficult for all the students to get a transfer,” Dr Baskota said. So far only 18 students have been transferred to other medical colleges affiliated to the same university.
“The Embassy of Nepal in Bangladesh has sought information from the foreign ministry of Bangladesh but as cases concerning medical colleges are sub-judice no written information has been made available to the embassy. However, the embassy was told verbally that Directorate General of Health Services had stopped investigating these medical colleges and none of the students passing out from there were registered by Bangladesh Medical Council,” states the official letter sent to NMC.