Foreign Students Speak

Foreign students live in peace and harmony
Says another overseas student

Salim Hosny Salim Qannita

The Islamic University of Technology (IUT) is considered one of the biggest educational institutes in Bangladesh. During a recent visit, IUT authorities welcomed us with open arms and allowed us to meet the students and teachers. We talked about the relationship between the Bangladeshi students and their brothers from various foreign countries. We were amazed to learn that they have been living and studying in perfect peace and harmony with each other. Below are the excerpts of conversation we had with some students and teachers of the institute.

Prof. Dr. Nurul Absar Choudhury of MCE Department and Provost of IUT
“The relations between the Bangladeshi and foreigner student are more than good. It mainly depends on the culture and background of the students. The IUT provides the opportunity for the students to know each other and share their opinions. Therefore the relation between the students is not only limited in the environment of classes, it goes further such as in residential halls, and this way students can get to know each other even better. Because of different nationalities and cultures some problems may occur, but as administrators we always try to solve the problems by holding discussions with them.”

Dr. Ali Sabry (From Egypt) Assistant Professor MCE Department
“The relations are very good between Bangladeshi students and foreign students in IUT. Bangladeshi students or foreigner students are same to me and there is no difference between them. So we have good and friendly environment here”.

Enayetullah Patwari -Assistant Professor
“All foreign students are like our sons away from home and family, so we always try to consider this point. All the student are dear to us. We as teaches are their guardians and every student here is equal to his brother no matter from where he has come.”

Sakib Lutful Mohmood and Muinul Hassan Banna -Lecturers and former students of IUT
As former students we have a very deep relationships with the foreign students. Language may become a little problem in such a relationship in the beginning. However students do lots of activities, which gradually deepens the friendship and help them mix in this multicultural environment.”

Next, we met with some Bangladeshi and foreign students from different countries. We met Jamile, a 4^th year student. He said, “It's a brotherhood relationship and we are brothers. We cooperate with each other to maintain that relationship.

Abdul Aziz from Cameron said, “The friendship is an open ended relationship. Then we met Ahmed from Senegal. He said, “It feels good to be with everyone including Bangladeshi students”.

Moslem Berangi from Iran agreed with them and said he enjoys very good relationship with everyone. Then Saad from Indonisia said that their relationship was good and it depends upon the mutual feeling of wellbeing of one another.

Mustafa, a 4^th year MCE from Palestine said, “The relationship between me and the Bangladeshi students is very good and strong.” There are some students from Middle East who also talked of the friendly environment existing in IUT. Mustafa said, “We also enjoy good relationship outside the university campus and we visit homes of our local friends”.

Waqar Ahmed Mirza, a 4^th year MCE from Pakistan said that the relationship between him and Bangladeshi students was very friendly. He finds them helpful and cooperative in study and in all other non-educational activities. He has family level relationship with some friends. “So, being in Bangladesh I never feel that I'm out of Pakistan or far away from my home,” he said.

By observing the teachers and the students of different countries I can only conclude that the relations between the Bangladeshi and foreign students are really friendly and speaks of brotherhood. So I can say quite convincingly that foreign students in Bangladesh are living in peace and harmony.

-Salim is a DU student from Palestine

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