Students from Bangladesh seek a better life in Denmark

Disclaimer: This text was translated using machine translation / AI and post-edited by Maria Nielsen Pedersen

Mahabuba Rahaman Mou has also noticed it. Suddenly, there are significantly more students from her homeland, Bangladesh, at Aarhus University. When she started her Master's degree programme in Business Administration at Aarhus BSS in 2023, there were only two students from Bangladesh; in the new class in 2024, there were over 10, she noticed. 

For many young people in Bangladesh, the main goal is to leave the country, she explains. 

“If someone has the opportunity to leave Bangladesh, they take it. That's how I would put it. In Europe, Denmark is a good option for us, and that’s why more people are now choosing Denmark,” says Mahabuba Rahaman Mou.

Applications from students from Bangladesh have more than doubled in one year

She moved to Aarhus with her husband and emphasises that Denmark offers a five-year visa for students from outside Europe, with the possibility to apply for an extended stay if you secure a job. This also applies to the student's partner, who must have worked for 4.5 years during the five-year period. 

“We definitely want to stay here, and that's a good reason to choose Denmark,” says Mahabuba Rahaman Mou.

Jony Sharuar, who came to AU in 2024, shares a similar experience. He is a Master's degree student in Electrical Engineering at AU. 

“In my experience, most students in Bangladesh who want to study abroad choose Denmark. You can bring your spouse, and she can work full-time. This makes managing everything a bit easier,” says Jony Sharuar. 

He had to get used to the cold, the darkness, and the different food when he moved to Aarhus with his wife and two children, he says. He comes from a well-off family in Bangladesh, where his father is an elected representative in the local government of a city about half the size of Aarhus. Jony Sharuar was used to people in the city knocking on their door at all hours to get the mayor to sign various documents. He also had a good job in Bangladesh, which he can return to, but he still chose to seek opportunities abroad.

“Before I decided to come to Denmark, my first child was born, and I realised I couldn't provide her with the social security and other forms of safety I wanted if I stayed in Bangladesh. It's because of the system,” he explains. 

“In my lifetime, I don't think it will be better for me to go back”

Jony Sharuar mentions the political instability in Bangladesh and how unemployment is rising every day, as he puts it. He believes that the government in Bangladesh focuses more on handing out diplomas than on truly educating skilled students. 

“When students graduate, I don't think most of them are skilled enough. It’s not the individual's fault, but the system's. Because of this, they will have a hard time finding a job. Additionally, there is a lot of discrimination in the job market. To get a government job, the perception is that you must support the ruling party. If you have a different political opinion, finding a job can be extremely challenging,” says Jony Sharuar. 

In the summer of 2024, the people of Bangladesh, led by students, revolted against the government. According to Reuters, over 1,000 people lost their lives during the uprising. The uprising culminated in August when the country's prime minister resigned. The protests were driven by students' dissatisfaction with the quota system, which has been in place since 1971 and has kept millions out of the job market. 

Mahabuba Rahaman Mou elaborates on the political situation from her perspective, which was the main reason she left the country.

“We had a fascist government. During that period, security in the country disappeared. They often changed our education system – every 2-3 months. This is not good for students and their ability to focus on their studies. And because of the political situation, the job market is chaotic right now. Even if you get a university degree, it’s still unlikely to get a good job in Bangladesh. It's due to bureaucracy. If you’re a member of the ruling party, you can get a good job,” she says.

The quota system meant that Mahabuba Rahaman Mou would be passed over for various jobs, even though she had better grades than those who got the jobs, she explains. 

“Right now, the quota system has been removed. In my lifetime, I don't think it will be better for me to go back. But after a few generations, things will improve, and by then, people might prefer to stay rather than move abroad. But it takes time. The prime minister we had did nothing to improve the situation. She just took all our money. It's a tragic situation in Bangladesh,” she says. 

It takes a semester to get used to the way of studying

Rubaiya Rahman completed her Master's degree in Economics and Business Administration from Aarhus BSS late last autumn. According to her, education in Denmark is better than in Bangladesh. She explains that in many study programmes back home, students only use pen and paper and build their knowledge on memorisation. 

“Here, education isn’t based on memorisation or just understanding what you learn. It's about how you can use the knowledge you gain. I’ve found this approach very exciting. It hasn't been a challenge for me because I've enjoyed learning it,” says Rubaiya Rahman.

Mahabuba Rahaman Mou recognises this and describes it as a challenge. 

“Exams here are also quite different. For example, you can use the internet and notes for some exams. In Bangladesh, most exams consist of a paper with questions, and you have to write your answers on it. You mostly need to have the answers memorised. Even though you have to memorise it, I'd say it's a lot easier than it is here. I think it takes a semester to get used to the way of studying in Denmark, and that’s also an obstacle. We’re here to get our Master’s degree, and it makes it a bit difficult. First, we need to learn the process. How should I do my assignments, how do I get good grades, and so on?” says Mahabuba Rahaman Mou.

She hopes that universities in Bangladesh will adapt. 

“If the study culture in Bangladesh changes, it would give us a better chance to understand the methods here. Right now, it’s quite challenging for students from Bangladesh. If we had grown up with it, it wouldn't be difficult,” she says. 

The lecturer is more comfortable with the students 

Jony Sharuar, who studies Electrical Engineering, is more accustomed to using his computer at university. He sees the biggest difference in the university's approach to students. 

“Here, the lecturer is more comfortable with the students. The lecturer wants the students to learn from him, so he does his best. In Bangladesh, the lecturer’s knowledge and level, in my opinion, are the same as in Denmark – they also received their education at various well-regarded international universities – but the intention or mindset is a bit different. The difference also lies in the administration, facilities, and support for students. It’s smoother here. The help that students need is available,” says Jony Sharuar.

Several students feel that it’s harder to connect with Danish students. Mahabuba Rahaman Mou mentions that other international students seem friendlier or more open. Rubaiya Rahman has made many good friends, but none of them are Danish. 

“The Danish people are very friendly and helpful, but it’s very difficult to become friends with them. Even though I drink and do everything else they do,” says Rubaiya Rahman.

"No opportunities because I don't speak Danish"

Since graduating from AU last autumn, Rubaiya Rahman has been searching for a job in Denmark. She also left Bangladesh to seek more opportunities and calls the system back home corrupt. According to her, many are willing to move almost anywhere, even if they are financially well-off in Bangladesh. She preferred to go to Germany and had been offered places at three German universities, but because the processing time from the German authorities took two years, she lost all three opportunities. She ended up getting a scholarship in Denmark, which covered her entire education at AU. 

Rubaiya Rahman speaks highly of her time at AU, but she has been hit hard by the fact that she can’t get a job because she doesn’t speak the language. 

“I get no opportunities because I don't speak Danish. It seems very hopeless,” says Rubayia Rahman.

She talks in detail about how she has applied for almost every job imaginable; both those related to her education and completely unskilled jobs such as barista, dishwasher, or cleaner. 

“I also applied for cleaning jobs. That was my lowest point. The cleaning company told me I could only clean toilets and not be out front. When I asked why, they said: 'You’re not suitable for the job, because if you have to be out front, you need to speak Danish'. And I thought: Who talks to the cleaning lady? Even if they want to talk, we can speak English, and I can understand the basics of Danish,” says Rubaiya Rahman. 

She has also applied for internships, even though she has a Master's degree. During her time at AU, she interned at a company for over six months. However, when she graduated and asked about a job opportunity, the response was discouraging. The manager felt that it would be too difficult for her to integrate into the office community since she didn’t speak Danish. 

Chair of friendship association: Difficult to find a job

According to Afif Hossein, chair of Bandhab – Bangladesh Friendship Association, a Danish non-profit organisation, many students from Bangladesh end up moving to other European countries because it is too difficult to build a life in Denmark. 

“It’s very difficult to get a job here. And the competition is higher now with more people arriving. Even with a good education in Denmark, you might end up in a job that doesn’t relate to your education, and ultimately it becomes harder to extend your stay. It's difficult to settle here in the long run,” he says.

According to Afif Hossein, the language barrier is a significant factor.

“It is a barrier. Especially in the beginning. They have no knowledge of the language, and it’s very difficult to network in Denmark without speaking Danish if you want to connect with Danish students. Many are also traveling for the first time in their lives; it's a culture shock that takes time to overcome,” he says. 

“Universities should be more aware of which universities in Bangladesh they admit from”

Danish universities should be more aware of the applications from Bangladesh, according to Jony Sharuar.

“It’s a bit easier or simpler to get a visa as a student in Denmark. But there are some universities in Bangladesh that do not meet the standard. The challenge for the universities is that the criteria may be met, and the application may fit the relevant field, but the individual's qualifications are not checked through this. Danish universities should be more aware of which universities in Bangladesh they admit from,” he says and concludes:

“A system that could verify whether a student has the right qualifications to complete a Master's degree programme here would be ideal. It’s also not beneficial for the university if the number of students who cannot complete their studies increases. I think universities should consider this more,” says Jony Sharuar. 

Rubaiya Rahman wonders why Denmark allows so many students from Bangladesh to study in the country when, according to her, it’s clear how difficult it is to stay in the country. She believes that Denmark is heading towards a situation similar to the UK, where, according to Rubaiya Rahman, too many international students are admitted while there are no job opportunities. 

“My question is, why does the state keep admitting students without considering how these people are going to stay here. How are we supposed to live here and find jobs? I believe many people from Bangladesh had never heard of Denmark, but when other opportunities closed, we noticed Denmark. There's this one door that remains open, but we didn't know they'd let us in without any acceptance of us,” says Rubaiya Rahman. 

She especially thinks about the students from Bangladesh who have sacrificed what they had back home to be able to travel.

“I haven’t sacrificed everything, but many have. They have sold their homes to come here because they have to pay tuition fees,” says Rubaiya Rahman.