90% Bangladeshi students returned to LPU campus much before turmoil

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 6

Remaining glued to their phones for getting the latest updates from back home, over 500 Bangladeshi students studying at various campuses of Jalandhar, including Lovely Professional University, are a bit worried over the safety of their homes and families amid the ongoing unrest.

Since the new academic session had started just two weeks back, more than 90 per cent of the students had returned to their classes before the airports got closed there. The community of Bangladeshi students here and even the authorities have been guiding the remaining students on reaching the land border near Chittagong and the airlink further.

The college authorities, too, have been talking to the students on daily basis so that they remain calm and in a positive frame of mind. “We are worried that our economy could face a major jolt and the textile businesses could see a fall because of the political turmoil. We are all hoping that the tense situation does not last long and could stretch to a maximum period of just 1-2 months,” said Umme Hafsa, studying Masters in Physiotherapy (Orthopaedics).

LPU vice-president Aman Mittal said: “The students seemed positive and are praying that the situation gets normalised soon. The good part is that most of our students have already reported back after the session break before the air-based movement closed in Bangladesh. Our teams have been constantly in touch with those who could not return in time so that they too can reach campus as soon as possible.”

Majority of the Bangladeshi students are pursuing computer science engineering and textile engineering courses here.

The CT Institutes also has enrollment of 12 Bangladeshi students. Since the new session had commenced yesterday, the students were yet to return, said MD Manbir Singh. The authorities are now facing difficulty in contacting students as Internet services are down in Bangladesh.