Foreign students at Ad-din Women’s Medical College in the capital’s Maghbazar on Monday expressed concern over their academic future following the cancellation of the licence of the college’s teaching hospital after six newborns died there on May 27.

The students, most of them from India, said that medical councils in their home countries might not recognise their degrees if their clinical training was conducted at institutions other than those approved at the time of their admission.

A group of students went to the Directorate General of Health Services headquarters in the capital Dhaka on Monday to seek clarification from the authorities but were unable to meet any senior officials.

They later submitted an application to the DGHS, urging the government to take immediate steps to safeguard their academic status and ensure that their degrees remain internationally recognised.

According to the students, about 300 foreign students and more than 30 intern doctors are currently enrolled at Ad-din Women’s Medical College.

Officials of the Directorate General of Medical Education said that following the cancellation of the licence of Ad-din Medical College Hospital, the college authorities applied for permission to transfer clinical training activities to two other hospitals.

The proposed hospitals are Ad-din Barrister Rafiqul Huq Hospital at Jurain and Ad-din Momin Medical College Hospital at Keraniganj in Dhaka.

According to DGME officials, medical colleges are required to have affiliated hospital facilities for clinical teaching and internship training.

Several overseas students said that changing hospitals midway through their studies could create complications in obtaining registration from medical councils in their respective countries.

‘If our degrees are not recognised in our countries, all the time and money we have invested will go to waste,’ said Khujaima, a student from India.

The Directorate General of Health Services on June 11 cancelled the licence of the 700-bed Ad-din Medical College Hospital following the deaths of six newborns there on May 27.

The college authorities have since been trying to arrange alternative facilities for clinical training and internship activities while also seeking the restoration of the hospital’s licence.

Tariqul Islam Mukul, human resources and company affairs director of Ad-din Foundation, which runs the hospital, said that the authorities had already informed the DGME about the situation and sought approval for alternative clinical training arrangements.

He said that the foundation hoped that the government would take into consideration the interests of foreign students while resolving the issue.

Referring to the overseas students’ concern, DGME additional director general (medical education) Professor Dr Rubina Yasmin said that there were no such restrictions for Bangladeshi students under local regulations.

She said that they had been informed about it and hoped for a solution soon, considering the legal process.