Students of German universities urge German embassy, foreign ministry to facilitate visas

Bangladeshi students studying in German universities but unable to go to the country since last year amid the pandemic appealed to the German embassy in Dhaka and the foreign ministry to facilitate the student visa process as some universities asked students to attend in-person classes from next semester.

They urged the German embassy and foreign ministry to ensure visa processing as an emergency service amid the ongoing "lockdown" to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Nearly 1,000 Bangladeshi students who got scholarships and fellowships at different German universities are not able to go to Germany due to visa complications amid the pandemic, they said.

A group of students studying in various German universities made the appeal at a press conference today at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Nazim Uddin, a student of OTH Ambergen Weiden University in Germany, said more than 1,000 students who were admitted to various German universities last year are now stuck in Bangladesh.

Due to the current Covid-19 situation, they can attend classes online, but various German universities have already informed their students by letter that they have to be present in classes next semester. For this, they have to attend their respective universities by next August.

"We have been informed by letters from various universities in Germany that we have to go to our own university by August this year to take part in classes directly next semester," he said.

They also submitted a memorandum to the foreign ministry in this regard.

If the foreign ministry takes the initiative, they will be able to go to Germany easily, the students said.

They said almost all students have deposited Tk 11 lakh in blocked accounts and many students have submitted their tuition fees.

If they cannot go, their university administrations may cancel their admissions, students said.

Nazim Uddin said of the students who applied for visa interviews and visas in June last year, only 150 completed their visa processes at the German embassy.

Since then, about 1,000 students applied but did not get visas.

Due to the "lockdown" in Bangladesh, the work of issuing German visas is closed, but this can be done by following the health rules, he said.