Two foreign students leave Dhaka University over security concerns
A driver was injured in a crude bomb explosion in front of the Faculty of Business Studies building at Dhaka University on Tuesday. Photo: Agamir Somoy.
Two foreign students have left Dhaka University due to security concerns following a series of crude bomb explosions on the campus in recent days.
Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam confirmed the news to journalists.
Speaking at an event at the university's Faculty of Social Sciences on Wednesday, he said that two foreign students left the campus this morning following the unstable situation that unfolded on Tuesday.
"This morning, they informed me that they would be leaving due to security concerns. This is not the kind of university environment we want."
Following the announcement by ousted leader Sheikh Hasina—who was deposed during the July Uprising—that she intends to return to the country next December, there has been a noticeable resurgence in activities by her party, the banned Awami League.
Amid such developments, several crude bomb explosions have taken place on the varsity campus over the past few days. Yesterday, during a strike called by the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, a driver was injured in a crude bomb blast.
Detailed information regarding the two foreign students who departed Dhaka University under these circumstances has not been made available, and the Vice-Chancellor did not disclose their names.
The International Affairs Office is responsible for overseeing the admission and welfare of international students at the university. Amran Hossain, Senior Cartographer at this office, told Agamir Somoy that 50 foreign students are currently enrolled at Dhaka University. However, he had no specific information regarding those who left.
During the event at the Department of Sociology, the Vice-Chancellor also announced that initiatives will be taken to introduce the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) system across all departments at Dhaka University within the next three months.
He stated that the OBE system is indispensable for ensuring international educational standards and preparing students for the job market. Without implementing this system, students risk falling behind in both domestic and international employment sectors. He emphasized that it is also essential for obtaining international accreditation.
Professor Obaidul Islam further highlighted the importance of modernizing the curriculum to align with student skills and industry demands.
He said Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses should be introduced across various departments and relevant contemporary topics integrated into the syllabus. Rather than relying solely on department faculty for curriculum reviews, industry experts and professional representatives must also be involved.
Emphasizing the need to improve the quality of university research and academic journals, the Vice-Chancellor said that the practice of publishing journals solely for promotion purposes must end. Journals must be brought under international indexing frameworks, and steps will be taken to cancel journals that fail to achieve indexing within specified timeframes.
He also stressed the need for effective policies to encourage faculty members to engage in regular research and publish academic papers.
