2 Chinese students leave DU amid crude bomb blast, 6 more to depart on 13 Nov

Eight Chinese students who came to Dhaka University (DU) to take part in an exchange programme are returning to China ahead of schedule amid fears triggered by a series of crude bomb explosions on the campus.

Two of them returned to China on Wednesday, while the remaining six are scheduled to leave Dhaka on 13 November.

Professor MA Kawsar, provost of Sir PJ Hartog International Hall, the residential hall for foreign students at the university, confirmed the matter on Wednesday.

In the evening, he held a meeting with foreign students to discuss the overall situation on campus and sought their views.

The eight Chinese students had come to Dhaka University to attend a short course. They were due to complete the course after sitting their examinations towards the end of November.

However, a series of recent crude bomb explosions on the campus raised concerns among the students and their parents.

As a result, they decided to return home without completing the course. They will sit the remaining examinations at their respective university after returning to China.

Professor MA Kawsar, provost of Sir PJ Hartog International Hall, said, “They were scheduled to leave after completing their examinations in the last week of November.

However, they are returning early because of the anxiety and fear caused by the crude bomb explosions. Two have already left, and the remaining six have also confirmed their flight tickets.”

He added that he had also held a meeting with other foreign students at the hall. “They said they are monitoring the overall situation and will inform the hall authorities if they make any decision,” he said.

The provost said that, on the day of the crude bomb explosions, two of the foreign students had witnessed the incident from very close by. He said they had been extremely frightened ever since.

Over the past few days, several crude bomb explosions have taken place in different parts of the Dhaka University campus, including the Teachers-Students Centre (TSC) and the Faculty of Business Studies (FBS). The incidents have also caused concern among general students.

To bring the situation under control, the university authorities have stepped up patrols by law enforcement agencies across the campus and set up checkpoints at its entrances.