English

During the quota reform protests, the country’s situation became increasingly unstable, disrupting regular consular services at foreign embassies in Dhaka, including the U.S. Embassy. According to embassy information, the unrest surrounding the protests forced the rescheduling of over 10,000 visa applicants’ appointments for interview, including several thousand students.

It has been reported that due to the quota reform protests, the curfew, and the situation following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, the U.S. Embassy did not conduct any visa interviews from July 16 to September 1. During this period, those who had scheduled interviews were notified of their canceled appointments via email, with new dates provided. Meanwhile, new applicants were unable to secure visa interview slots.

On the afternoon of August 13, the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka posted an update on its official Facebook page. It stated, “If you have an upcoming visa appointment, please wait for further instructions on the consular section’s reopening to routine services.”

On July 28, Bonik Barta sent an email to the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, inquiring about visa applications and appointments during the protests. The embassy responded on September 4, stating that regular consular services resumed on September 2 after the directive for American staff to leave Dhaka was lifted. However, they noted that services remain limited until all staff members return. The consular section is providing visa services for students and emergency travels needs.

In response to Bonik Barta’s inquiry on how many student visa appointments were rescheduled and how many students were unable to secure an interview, the embassy informed that due to the abnormal situation in Bangladesh and the directive for U.S. Embassy staff to leave Dhaka, the consular section had to reschedule over 10,000 visa appointments. Since July 8, several thousand students have been able to reschedule their appointments and obtain visas for travel to the U.S.

Each year, a large number of students leave for the U.S. for higher education. Last year, 13,563 Bangladeshi students went to study in the U.S. In a media note on July 10, the U.S. Embassy reported that the number of Bangladeshi students going to the U.S. for higher education increased by 28 percent compared to 2022. Additionally, last year saw a record number of Bangladeshi students going to the U.S., positioning Bangladesh as the 13th largest source of international students in the country.

According to U.S. Embassy sources in Dhaka, the number of Bangladeshi students in the U.S. has increased by more than 300 percent over the past decade. In the 2011-12 fiscal year, 3,314 Bangladeshi students went to the U.S. for higher education. By the 2022-23 fiscal year, that number had risen to 13,563. In the 2020-21 fiscal year, 8,598 Bangladeshi students enrolled in U.S. institutions, followed by 10,597 students in 2021-22.