B’desh students express disappointment over Pakistan scholarships after selected postgraduate candidates allege that promised fully funded support covers tuition and accommodation but excludes meals, transport, airfare and other essential expenses.
Bangladeshi students selected for postgraduate scholarships under Pakistan’s “Knowledge Corridor” initiative have reportedly expressed disappointment after finding that the scholarships do not provide the full financial support they had expected. According to a report published by Bangladesh-based Daily Asian Age, the selected students have alleged that the scholarship terms differ from the earlier promise of fully funded education.
The issue emerged following an educational cooperation initiative announced by Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar during his visit to Bangladesh in August last year. The initiative, known as the “Knowledge Corridor”, was presented as an effort to strengthen higher education cooperation and people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The scholarship programme is administered by Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC). Under the initiative, the Pakistan government had announced 500 fully funded scholarships for Bangladeshi students over a period of five years. The first batch of around 74 students reportedly began their studies at Pakistani universities in February.
However, concerns have now been raised over the terms offered to students selected during the second phase of the programme. New scholarships were announced in Dhaka in May, following which applicants went through the examination and selection process for postgraduate programmes.
According to the report, selected students subsequently received offer letters stating that tuition fees and dormitory or accommodation costs would be waived. Students, however, reportedly found that the offers did not include financial support for several other expenses they had expected to be covered under a fully funded scholarship.
The reported exclusions include monthly allowances, meals, transportation and airfare, along with other essential costs associated with studying abroad. The development has reportedly left several selected students disappointed, with some questioning whether the terms of the scholarship match the original promise made under the Knowledge Corridor initiative.
For students travelling from Bangladesh to Pakistan for postgraduate studies, the additional expenses could represent a significant financial burden. As a result, many of those selected have reportedly decided against accepting the scholarship and pursuing their studies in Pakistan.
One Bangladeshi applicant, who requested anonymity, described the situation as a form of deception while speaking to Daily Asian Age. The student reportedly said that applicants had been presented with one set of expectations regarding fully funded master’s scholarships but later received offers with more limited financial coverage.
The controversy has therefore raised questions among applicants about the implementation of the Knowledge Corridor scholarship programme and the communication of its financial terms. Students who participated in the selection process reportedly expected broader financial assistance based on the description of the scholarships as “fully funded”.
The programme was introduced with the stated objective of expanding educational cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan. The reported concerns from selected students, however, have created uncertainty among applicants about the practical financial implications of accepting the scholarships.
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As the second phase of the scholarship programme progresses, the reported dissatisfaction among Bangladeshi students has brought renewed attention to the difference between the initial scholarship announcement and the financial provisions described in the offer letters. The students are seeking clarity over the scope of support available to them before making decisions about their postgraduate education in Pakistan.
