Dhaka, Jan 14 (NationPress) Bangladesh must embrace a zero-tolerance policy towards violence against international students, underpinned by effective legal action rather than mere promises, a report emphasized on Wednesday. It urged local educational institutions to extend their support beyond campus borders and advocate for their students' safety.

“A nation can lose its moral compass in various subtle ways. One of the most insidious is when students dread stepping out of their accommodations due to their nationality. Bangladesh is perilously approaching this threshold,” remarked a report from Eurasia Review.

Referencing a recent interview with an Indian medical student in Dhaka, known by the alias Karim, the report revealed that he confines himself to his hostel every evening out of fear—not due to academic pressure or fatigue.

“He listens intently before opening his door. He steers clear of marketplaces. He conceals his accent. His education—funded by his father's hard-earned savings—has morphed into a daily exercise in caution. What was once a second home now feels, as he puts it, like a prison,” it stated.

The report indicates that this situation is widespread, with over 9,000 Indian medical students currently enrolled in Bangladesh, motivated not by adventure but by economic viability.

“India generates aspirations faster than it provides educational opportunities. Over two million candidates compete for fewer than 60,000 government medical seats annually. While private institutions exist, their costs are exorbitant. In contrast, Bangladesh offers medical degrees at nearly half the cost. For numerous middle-class Indian families, this is not merely a choice but a necessity,” it elaborated.

“For years, this arrangement functioned smoothly. Indian students integrated into Dhaka’s urban tapestry, studied alongside their Bangladeshi counterparts, and quietly bolstered the academic landscape. Political tensions were merely background noise. That understanding has now disintegrated,” it further explained.

The report underscored that since the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, assaults on religious minorities, particularly Hindus, have reportedly surged, exacerbating fears.

“Dhaka maintains that these incidents are politically driven, not religiously motivated. However, that distinction offers little solace to a student whose examiner's demeanor grows stern once his identity is revealed. In politics, the effects often overshadow intentions,” it remarked.

The issue transcends bilateral relations, posing a risk of turning education into collateral damage in the South Asian context.

“When students become pawns in geopolitical disputes, it results in losses for everyone involved: host nations, sending nations, and the fragile notion that education can rise above politics,” it concluded.