Delay in medical check-up: Thousands of Bangladeshi students fail to avail UK visa

Thousands of prospective student visa seekers to the United Kingdom for September session are struggling to cope with the set deadline as they are getting appointment for mandatory medical checkup in mid October.
To obtain visa before the September session of the UK educational institutions, they have to submit application to the British High Commission within second week of September as it takes 2 to 3 weeks to process the document.
The British High Commission in Dhaka and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) have appointed International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to look after the health checkup of possible migrants to the UK. IOM carries out the medical checkup especially on Tuberculosis (TB) diseases to the visa seekers in its Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna centers.
But, students find that the three centers are not enough to absorb the growing pressure thus the centers are already booked for more than two months which has decreased the chance for students to cope with the set deadline.
Visa under the Tier 4 Points Based System in the UK came as a big opportunity for students from low income country as the students have to show a lump sum amount of Tk 10 lakh in their bank accounts and have to pay tuition fee for one year to the respective educational institutions. That’s why thousands of Bangladeshi students are trying to avail the opportunity to study in a good educational institution in Britain.
Earlier, student visa seekers from low-income country had to show a big amount of money in their bank accounts to prove financial solvency.
To avail the opportunity students have to apply to the educational institutions in Britain before October 1, 2009. But due to engaging of less number of health centers, students are now getting appointment for medical checkup in mid October.
Students allege that it takes between 1 to 2 weeks to reach the lone telephone number of IoM in Dhaka. IoM do not entertain students if they visit its Dhanmondi center to register a serial. They only register serial over telephone. When students can reach them over phone after trying several days they give appointment after 2 or 2.5 months for medical checkup.
Many students say they may not be able to avail the Tier 4 opportunity due to this delay. They said, had the UKBA or British High Commission appoint more hospitals for this job, students may have the chance to get medical checkup report fast and apply for visa.
Though IoM do not register name for medical checkup by visit in person hundreds of students were seen waiting in front of its Dhanmondi office to find out ways to get an appoint before October and get medical report quickly.
A British High Commission Senior Press Officer acknowledged the problems the prospective students are facing. But he did not want to comment on the issue, as he was not authorised to do so.
When contacted UKBA official in Dhaka Tanzeeba Moyeen told this correspondent to send written query. However, she did not reply the queries sent to her through e-mail.

Courtesy of The New Nation