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Every year thousands of meritorious Bangladeshi students from Bangladesh goes to Germany, one of the most education friendly countries in Europe for higher education. At the end of higher education and research activities, the students return to their homeland with the great vow of national service and develop our country with the knowledge of innovation.
But for more than two years since the Covid-19, thousands of Bangladeshi students have been waiting for visas with the offer letter of various public and private universities in Germany for higher education. After 14/15 months of waiting, students are not getting visa interview date from German Embassy in Bangladesh. Despite repeated assurances from the German embassy authorities that the embassy authorities could not provide any solution to the students rather the visa waiting period is getting longer and longer day by day. For this reasons, students are disappointed and worried about their future.
After several meetings with important people and institutions of the government, the waiting students did not see any hope. At the initiative of a Facebook group (German Visa & Higher Studies Solution For Bangladeshi Students), the students raised their voices in press conferences and online media demanding their movement.
The campaign is being run on Twitter as part of an online protest over visa claims. Almost 100000 tweets have already been made in this few days of Twitter campaign. Considering the number of tweets, the campaign has taken the first place under Bangladesh Trend.
Embassies of Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Korea, Japan and others are working on student visas without any problem. Even VFS Global is running perfectly. It is important to note that none of these embassies, like the German embassy, have thousands of students waiting for interviews since last year, which is a disappointing news for German university applicants.
2021-2022 Every student admitted to Winter Session book his appointment. In those days, students completed two semesters online, sending block money (accommodation costs) and tuition fees. Now they are not being called for their interview till May 2022 and the university has asked them to stay on campus this semester. Otherwise, his studentship & scholarship may be canceled or he may get into trouble.
All the German missions faced the same problem at the beginning of the pandemic in other countries (such as Iran, Nigeria) including neighboring India and Pakistan. Despite the high incidence of coronavirus in Delhi, India, they have overcome the problem and their government is providing all possible assistance to expedite student visas. The goodwill of the Indian-German embassy is the solution to this problem. In Indian & Pakistan Embassy students are receiving visas within 1-2 month. But Germany Dhaka embassy not giving interview date after 12-14 month. But India has 10 times more applicants than Bangladesh.
Tamanna Tahmin Khan, a Masters's student at University of Siegen, said that almost everyone has already deposited BDT 10 lakh (Almost 11000 Euros) in the block account and many have paid tuition fees of several lakhs. So while thousands of students are waiting for visa interviews and visas, the sudden slowdown of the embassy (not sending new document submission mail & Interview date mail on time) has made the students very worried. Even, In last 3.5 months bachelor applicants got Interview date mail only 1 day (17 may).
Mohammad Zilani Hossain, a bachelor's student at Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, said that although the embassy had earlier announced a 12-month waiting period, it is now increasing day by day.
Monira Akhter, a master's student at BTU Cotbos University, said most universities are no longer willing to take classes or exams online for which there is no way for students to wait.
KM Khalid Saifullah, a bachelor's student, said that if students does not participate in classes and exams directly from the current summer semester, their studentship will be canceled and they will not be able to use their talents properly. Even they are not getting chance for labs and practical classes. The education system in Germany is a combination of theoretical, practical and internships. Although in many universities theoretical classes are conducted online and practical classes and workshops are conducted on campus. It is compulsory to be physically present in the university.
Bangladeshi students are also being deprived of research-based studies due to lack of access to libraries and professors. In this situation, only due to visa complications, the talented students of Bangladesh are lagging behind in the competition with the students of other countries of the world.
The students are optimistic and they say that we still strongly believe the government and the German embassy that considering the overall situation of German university students in Bangladesh waiting for visas, the German embassy in Bangladesh will take constructive decision to solve all problems and take effective action. Students said that, We don't mean to pressurized Embassy but we haven’t any other option lefts to get your attention that's why we tweeted. Now it's take nearly 14-15 months to get the doc submission mail. Even, it's been almost 12-15th months, many students didn't get interview date yet. we want regularity & fast processing in student visa. Please show kind consideration.