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.