Students demand internships in Nepal amid Bangladeshi unrest

Kathmandu, August 28 — The government has initiated a plan to arrange internships in Nepal for students who have completed their prescribed medicine courses in Bangladesh. The process will involve requesting a written confirmation from the varsities in Bangladesh where the students obtained their degrees.

Education Minister Bidhya Bhattarai explained that while there are no major issues with conducting internships in Nepal, it is essential to obtain the university’s approval. Although the Bangladesh government regulates the medical education in Bangladesh, the degree-awarding university's opinion is needed to facilitate the internships in Nepal. The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology will request this confirmation through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A joint meeting involving the Education Minister, Health Minister, Medical Education Commission, and the Medical Council was held after students submitted a memorandum requesting permission to complete their internships in Nepal. The meeting decided to form a committee to review the matter and provide recommendations.

A task force, led by Sujan Babu Marahattha, Director of the Medical Education Commission, has been formed. The task force suggested seeking the opinion of the Bangladeshi universities and the Medical Council of Bangladesh to arrange internships in Nepal.

Minister Bhattarai stated that the ministry would seek the Bangladeshi universities’ opinion based on the task force's recommendations.

Approximately 250 Nepali students, who had been studying medical education in Bangladesh, returned to Nepal due to the ongoing unrest there. These students have been advocating for internship opportunities in Nepal.

They have reached out to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, as well as Education Minister Bidhya Bhattarai and Health Minister Pradeep Paudel.

Dr. Navin Yadav, President of the Nepalese Medical Students Association in Bangladesh, emphasized that with the current instability in Bangladesh, it is unsafe for students to return there. He has requested that the Nepali government facilitate internships at medical colleges in Nepal.

The Bangladesh situation remains volatile, and Dr. Yadav has expressed concern for student safety. He has also met with officials from the Medical Education Commission and the Nepal Medical Council, urging them to create an environment conducive to completing internships in Nepal.

According to Yadav, policies should be established to allow students to complete their internships either in Nepal or Bangladesh, based on their preference. During the COVID-19 pandemic, internships were arranged for students returning from China.

The Private Medical and Dental College Association has stated that returning students from Bangladesh can receive internships free of charge. Dr. Gyanendraman Singh Karki, President of the Association, has promised to provide tuition and free internships for these students. Some students have opted to return to Bangladesh after the protests ceased, while others have requested to finish their studies in Nepal.

After completing four years of MBBS studies, the students returned to Nepal when unrest in Bangladesh disrupted their internship preparations. Dr. Yadav noted that without a safe environment in Bangladesh, the duration of their internships is being extended, prompting the request for local arrangements.

While other countries allow students to complete their training either at their university or in their home country, Nepal requires that both education and training be completed within the respective country. Although there are provisions for students studying abroad to complete their internships in Nepal under special circumstances, there have been delays in implementing this. Dr. Yadav criticized the authorities for the ongoing delays despite a month of appeals.

He warned that if the government does not make appropriate arrangements, the students may face the dire choice of returning to Bangladesh despite the risks. Dr. Yadav also criticized the government's neglect of the private medical and dental college owners who are willing to provide internships.