Arriving in Bangladesh

Flight frequency

There is a direct flight between Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan and Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) twice weekly.

Airport Hotel

In case you are coming from airport other than Karachi, and you have a transit of more than 8 hours, then you will be provided complimentary stay in Airport Hotel which includes Air conditioned 2 single bedded room, free buffet and Hi-Tea. Do not forget to take hotel coupon from PIA transit desk which you have to show upon arrival in hotel. Airport to hotel transfer and vice versa is provided by PIA free of cost. You have to wait in front of McDonalds where PIA Bus will pick you up.

Immigration in Pakistan:

If you are carrying medicines ASF might demand Prescription, so keep doctors prescriptions specially if you are carrying high quantity of medicine like I did once. At immigration they might ask you questions about your visa like what do you do? where do you study? what subject? questions like that. They wont bother you unless you have some problem in visa or passport specially those passport which are expiring in 6 months. So better renew your passport and go. Had a very bad experience once nearly denied exit. Apart from that there should not be any problem.

Immigration in Bangladesh

You will be provided with an arrival card in the flight that needs to be filled and surrendered at immigration counter in Bangladesh or you can fill it online http://www.immi.gov.bd/frner_arrival.php print it and submit it in said counter.

You might have to drink polio drops, if  you are not carrying your polio vaccination card.

polio vaccination card

polio vaccination card

After arrival in Bangladesh you being Pakistani will go through the extra scrutiny than other nationalities. Individual visas are verified by Immigration authorities which might take 1 to 2 hours to clear.

Foreigners Registration

Now there is a rule that Pakistanis have to register themselves with Immigration, Bangladesh Police within a stipulated time, so you have two options:

1. Go to foreigners registration desk within airport and register yourself  OR
2. You can go to your designated city and register with special branch, in case of Chittagong where I live you have to register at Chittagong Metropolitan police headquarters

Whatever way you choose, Following documents are required at the time of registration with the Foreigners Registration Offices in Bangladesh:

• Original passport on which visa is endorsed.
• Two passport type photographs of the applicant
• A registration form duly filled (Can be obtained at Registration office or you can fill online registration form by this website   http://www.immi.gov.bd/frner_reg.php   and print it)

 There is no fee charged for registration.

You will need this Certificate of registration, if you stay in any hotel in Bangladesh OR  at the time of leaving Bangladesh you will surrender certificate of registration to the Registration Officer of the place where they are registered and will collect the exit permit.

NOTE:

However, a late fee is charged for late registration*. In that case you will need to submit Treasury Deposit (Challan) slip of late registration fees deposited at Bangladesh bank or Sonali Bank, in reference to deposit Code 1-2275-0000-2681.

A late fee is required for being late for more than 7 days, the fee structure is as below:

(i) Taka 2000/- (Two thousand) after expiry of 7 days on arrival
(ii) Taka 5000/- (Five thousand) after expiry of 15 days on arrival
The late fee needs to be deposited at Bangladesh bank or Sonali Bank, in reference to deposit Code 1-2275-0000-2681. A copy of the treasury Challan (deposit slip) must be submitted with the registration form to the concerned officer.

*Though this is the rule but they donot strictly adhere to this as I myself registered more than a year late and at one instance obatined both certificate of registration and exit permit at same time and registered to the registration office other than my district of residence. But to be on safe side  I will advise not to do that.

Registration Stamp

foreigners registration

foreigners registration

Currency Exchange

After this you can convert your currency at the airport, currency exchange companies give pretty good rates and then you can buy SIM card. 1 US Dollar equals 78.52 Bangladeshi Taka as of 12/10/2016

Buying SIM Cards

Unlike Jinnah International Airport,Karachi, there is no free Wifi in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka, so you will need to buy local  SIM Card which can be bought from the outlets just after the immigration counters by using your Passport.

These are some of famous SIM Companies of Bangladesh:

• Airtel Bangladesh Ltd.
• banglalink 
• Grameenphone
• Teletalk Bangladesh Limited,

Registering at High Commission of Pakistan

You can register at High Commission of Pakistan,  NE(C) 2, Rd No 71, Dhaka by printing and filling this form   http://www.mofa.gov.pk/bangladesh/documents/Pak-Reg-Form.doc

Most probably you will be received by some Seniors at Dhaka airport, they can guide you how to go to other cities or might probably go with you if they are from same college as you are selecetd in.

Intercity Transport

If you are all alone and want to come to Chittagong then following are the bus service you can use:

• Green Line Paribahan  
• 9/2, Outer Circular Road, Momen Bagh, Rajarbagh, Dhaka – 1217. TEL : +88 02 8315380

• Shohagh Paribahan (Pvt.) Ltd. 
• 114 Malibagh DIT Road Phone:9344477,01711612433

• Shyamoli Paribahan Pvt. Ltd (Kallyanpur)

You can use following websites to see their time table, fare etc

http://shyamolibusservice.com/

http://www.shohagh.biz/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=64

http://www.greenlinebd.com/

For further information on PIA, Airport hotel and immigration you can visit following websites:

http://www.immi.gov.bd/

http://www.airporthotel.com.pk/

http://www.piac.com.pk/

I hope it helps

Applying for issuance of PMDC NOC for studying abroad MBBS or BDS

Applying for issuance of  PMDC NOC for studying abroad MBBS or BDS

Attested copies of following documents should be provided along with application form:

• SSC Certificate
• HSSC Certificate Pre - Medical above 60%  marks
• Admission offer letter in English language clearly mentioned (Study Program) MBBS/MD/BDS Program 
• Valid passport color passport size photograph 
• Bank Draft /Pay Order of Rs. 5000/-

Download Application from the link mentioned below:

http://www.pmdc.org.pk/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=mbE4Dd%2bzGpM%3d&tabid=98&mid=543



Application should be submitted by hand  at the PMDC Head Office:

Mauve Area, G-10/4, Islamabad, Pakistan

UAN: 111-321-786

Phone: (092)(51)9106152-54, 9330290-93, 9106166        Fax: (092)(51)9106159


Note:

PMDC issues NOC to every student who is studying in the medical college notified in World Directory of Medical Schools published by the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) This can be checked by following website:

https://search.wdoms.org/


PMDC NOC looks like this:

NOC FOR STUDY ABROAD

I 

Pakistan International Airlines Student Discount.

PIA offers 10% student discount for students on all Pakistan (PK) domestic and international sectors on one way/round trip basis in designated classes of economy cabin (where PIA has its flight operation). 

Discount will applicable for full time students of schools, colleges or any institute.

Furthermore, below find requisite information to avail this facility:

1. Original School/College student identification card. (Attach photo copy)
2. Original CNIC if required. (Attach photo copy). 
3. Age limit of student is 26 years.
4.  Allowed only from studying place to residence.
5. Student discount form must be attested by the concerned educational institute.
6. Where no official stamp is available then discount form must be accompanied by the official letter head of the educational institute concerned duly signed by the authorized official.
7. In case of fresh admission abroad, student must provide proof of admission on the official letter-head of the concerned educational institute. (Attach photo copy)
8. Tickets can only be issued by PIA ticketing office counters.

However, you may download student discount form mentioned links below:

http://www.piac.com.pk/PIA_GSD/STUDENT-Domestic-Form.pdf

http://www.piac.com.pk/PIA_GSD/STUDENT-International-Form.pdf
.


For further assistance, visit www.piac.com.pk or email them at servicecenter@piac.aero or you can call at +92-21-111-786-786.



I hope it helps

Financing your medical studies in Bangladesh.

For the discussion of this blog I will be specifically writing about those Pakistani students who are admitted under the SAARC Quota in MBBS or BDS Course in Bangladesh Medical Colleges on Self Finance basis announced by the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, Islamabad, Government of Pakistan annually.

Lets start

Expenses in Pakistan:

1. Draft during initial admission process: 6,244 PKR *
2. Visa fees: 735 PKR 
3. Flight cost (one way from karachi to dhaka): 40,410 PKR*
4. Total = 47,389 PKR 

*Go this link for more details:
http://mbbsinbdforpakstudents.blogspot.com/2016/10/how-to-apply-for-bangladeshi-government.html

**As mentioned by www.piac.com.pk on October 9th, 2016 without any discount.

You can avail 10 %  students discount from PIA. To know more open following link:

http://mbbsinbdforpakstudents.blogspot.com/2016/10/pakistan-international-airlines-student.html

Expenses In Bangladesh 

1. Admission fees: 14,944 PKR  - One time only
2. Hostel + Tution fees: 1,054 PKR  - have to pay biannually
3. Cost of books: 10,000 to 15,000 PKR ***
4. Cards for internal assessment: 250 PKR 
5. BMDC students registration: 267 PKR
6. Students ID Card: 200 PKR

***It varies alot and depends on the books you buy like Is it a reference or guide book? or Is it original or copy? etc same book can have so much price variation depending on its quality.

Above mentioned expense have to pay at the start of session in designated medical college. Apart from the above mentioned fees college will charge you nothing.

Note:
To study Human Anatomy you may need to buy Human skeleton (Bones) which costs around: 36000 PKR to 43000 PKR that can be shared between 3 people or more as needed. Not an absolute essential  but worth mentioning. I did not buy just borrowed from friends and studied. At the end of your first professional exam you can sell that to juniors.

Living expenses:

Food from the mess: 6000 PKR / Month
Laundry in the hostel: 1000 PKR/ Month
Broadband connection (3Mbps): 1700 PKR / Month - can be shared between roommates

My monthly expense is 13,000 to 16,000 PKR. Can spend less if you control your budget.

You being a foreigner will be provided a complimentary stay at affiliated hostel in foreigners block
Each room is usually shared by three students, you will be provided with a chair, table bed, cupboard. Electrical stuff like fan, tube light etc you will have to buy on your own. You can also buy your own furniture if you want to but that will incur separate cost that you will bear.

Bring at least 100,000 PKR if you are bringing in cash. It is better to bring equivalent USD as it is easy to exchange.

You can exchange your USD to BDT at the Dhaka airport.




How to get your money in Bangladesh?


International Visa Debit Card:

Best thing is to open a bank account in your name in any Pakistani bank and bring international debit card (Visa / Master) with you to Bangladesh. Here you can withdraw money at any Visa ATM using that same card but it will charge you around 7.4% of a transaction. I think this is the best option one can opt for.

How can a student open Bank account in Pakistani bank? Open following link:
Coming soon, Under construction


Money Transfer Services:

You can also collect money from international services like gram money or western union, but the process is bit lengthy as compared to ATM withdrawal. It charges 8% commission.


These are the receipts for admission, tution and hostel fees for curious minds:

Attestation of SSC and HSSC Marksheets and Certificates from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan

To get your SSC (matric) and HSSC (Fsc) Mark sheets (DMC) and Certificates (sanad) attested from ministry of foreign affairs(MOFA) you have to verify it first from your Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) and then Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), then only you can proceed.

Whole process is explained below:

A. Attestation from Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Islamabad

If you obtained your SSC / HSSC from FBISE, Islamabad then you can apply for verification online by opening following link:

http://online.fbise.edu.pk/doc_verify/index

I guess they will send you some verification document in written at your postal address, as this option was not available at my time so I applied manually as explained below:

Download the document verification form from following link:

https://fbise.edu.pk/varificationdoc-indx.php

To generate the challan form for SSC Mark sheet / Certificate open this link:

https://fbise.edu.pk/cahllan-ssc.php

To generate the challan form for SSC Mark sheet / Certificate open this link:

https://fbise.edu.pk/cahllan-hssc.php

Verification fees:

For inland candidates: 300 Rs / Document (whose institution is in Pakistan)

For overseas candidates : 20 US$ / Document (Whose institution is outside Pakistan)

Note: 

Those candidates who migrated to Pakistan will also have to pay in USD or equivalent amount in PKR, if their institution is abroad.

Complete the application form and send 3 photocopies of each document to following address:

Deputy Secretary (Certificates), Federal Board of Intermediate and secondary education 

H-8/4 Islamabad.

E-Mail: certificate@fbise.edu.pk

You can also submit by hand too.

B. Attestation from Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC):

Following points should be kept in mind before submitting application form/s to  Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC):

1. All the SSCs, HSSCs, Marks Sheets, should be verified from the issuing Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education concerned before submitting it to IBCC for attestation.
2. IBCC will attest only those certificates which have been verified by the respective issuing authority.
3. Verification should be submitted in sealed envelope of concerned Board along with application for attestation of Certificates .
4. Verification forwarded by every Board shall be valid for a period of three months from the date of issue.

Application Form (1-Page) may be obtained from Window/Reception which is available free of cost. Application Form can also be down loaded from Web Site of IBCC:

 http://www.ibcc.edu.pk/Downloads/AForm.pdf 

Please ensure to fill all the columns. In case any column(s) is left blank, IBCC may not be able to process the case.

Applicants from the province of Punjab  will submit their certificates for attestation to the Regional Office of IBCC located at Provincial Headquarter i.e. Lahore. 

Islamabad Head Office

Deputy Director (Attestation & Academics), Inter Board Committee of Chairmen, Plot No. 25,Street 38, G10/4, Near Federal Govt. Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF), Islamabad.

Phone; (051) 9235018

Lahore Regional Office:

Assistant Secretary (Equivalence and Attestation),Inter Board Committee of Chairmen, At Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Building, 86-Mozang Road, Lahore

Phone; (042) 99203893

Note:

Certificates for attestation will be accepted from the holder of the certificate, parents, brothers and sisters only.

Attested Certificates will be delivered to the holder of the certificate, parents, brothers and sisters only

Fees:

Fee of Rs.200/- will be charged for attestation of each original certificate /document.

Fees Can be submitted at following branch in Lahore:

HBL B.I.S.E.LAHORE, 86-Mozang Road Lahore (In front of IBCC office)

Phone: 042-36362176-36298083      Fax: 042-36365427

Email: hbl.0694@hbl.com

Timings:

Time for furnishing Application Forms is from 0815 hrs to 1300 hrs on all working days except Fridays. On Fridays it is from 0815 hrs to 1100 hrs.

Delivery Time (next day after the day of deposit) on all working days except Fridays from 0815 hrs to 1500 hrs. On Fridays it is from 0815 to 1100 hrs.

Visiting Hours from 1100 hrs to 1200 hrs on all working days except Fridays. On Fridays visiting hours are from 1030 hrs to 1130 hrs.




C. Attestation from Ministry of foreign affairs:

The Secondary School Certificate / marksheet or Higher Secondary School Certificate / marksheet can be attested by affixing Attestation Stamp of (Rs) 5 which is available from 

post office or following offices:

If you are in Islamabad then

Office Address:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Constitution Avenue , Islamabad


Tel. No. 051-9207895, 051-9056524

Incase of people residing in Punjab

House No: 82-Shadman-II, Lahore

Tel. No. 042-99268247, 042-99268249



TIMINGS

Monday to Thursday: 8:30 AM to 2 PM

Friday: 8:30 AM to 12:30 Noon


Note:

There is no form for this attestation.

The documents needing attestations can be submitted at consular office window on the given timings.

The attested documents are likely to be returned to the applicants after two hours of their submission.




For further information you can visit following links:

http://www.ibcc.edu.pk/attestation.php
http://www.mofa.gov.pk/content.php?pageID=consaffairs
https://fbise.edu.pk/varificationdoc-indx.php

Applying for Student Visa in Bangladesh High Commission, Islamabad

Requirements for Submitting Student Visa Application Form:

1. Personal Appearance of the Applicant
2. 03 Duly Filled-in Visa Application Forms (visa form must be printed or typed)
3. 03 (three) Photocopies of ID card (NIC/CNIC)
4. Copy of any utility bill of residence (for confirmation of address)
5. 03 (three) Photocopies of Passport
6. Admission Offer Letter by Research scholar [foreign scholar-1 (FS-1)], Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPS Division), Government of Pakistan. (as mentioned in previous post)

Visa fees for Multiple Entry Student Visa = Rs. 735/- Can be submitted in cash at visa counter

Timings:

Working days: Monday to friday

Visa Application submission time: 09:30AM to 11:30AM

Visa Delivery Time: 04:30PM to 05:00PM  (Same Day)

Note: Your passport should be valid for atleast 6 months at the time of submission of Visa Application Form

Download Application Form from following address:

http://www.bdhcpk.org/index.php?link=visacounsular

Duly fill in the form in triplicate and attach passport size photos and other documents mentioned above and submit by hand at following address:

High Commission for the People's Republic of Bangladesh, House No. 1, Street No. 5, F-6/3, Islamabad (Pakistan).

In case you need to contact the High Commission following are their numbers:

Tel: 0092512279267        Fax: 0092512279266 

Email: bdhcisb@yahoo.com

You should get visa that very day you applied.

In case if someone else wants to go with you to Bangladesh like your father or brother etc. then the process is same. The only difference is that High commisiion will need an approval from Ministry of Interior, Bangladesh that might take a week or so.

So, book your ticket accordingly.

For more information you can go to following website:

http://www.bdhcpk.org/

This is how a stamped Visa looks like:

Stamped Visa of Bangladesh

This is how Machine Readable Visa (MRV) looks like:

Machine Readable Visa of Bangladesh

I hope it helps.

ADMISSION OF PAKISTAN STUDENTS IN MBBS / BDS COURSE IN BANGLADESH MEDICAL COLLEGES

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ADMISSION OF PAKISTANI STUDENTS IN MBBS / BDS COURSE IN BANGLADESH MEDICAL COLLEGES ON SELF-FINANCE BASIS UNDER SAARC QUOTA.



First thing is first

The cost -  What is self finance?

This is explained in a separate post open the link mentioned below:

http://mbbsinbdforpakstudents.blogspot.com/2016/10/financing-your-medical-studies-in.html


Now coming to  our initial question,

 How to apply for these seats in Bangladesh?

NTS is the testing authority that puts an advertisement for these seats in all daily newspapers of Pakistan. The advertisement for the session  2016-2017 is  shown here along with all the prequistes to apply for this test , unluckily last date for submission of form for 2017 has passed.

NTS Admission Advertisement

 


The most important and relevant prequisite is that you must have 80% in your HSSC exam

You can click the image and see it enlarged

To know more about project details 2017 click on this link:

http://nts.org.pk/Test&Products/Announced/082016/MinofIntPrv_BGDSH_29082016/MIP_BGDSH_0816.php



Applying for entrance test:

You can print the application form from NTS website, fill it properly and attach all necessary documents and passport size photos. submit the required fee in the nearest branch on the challan paper provided with application.

You will get your roll no. slip within a week or so after sending  completed application form to NTS mentioning your test center and  looks something like this:

NTS Roll Number Slip

Studying for Entrance Test:

I didnot study anything special for this test and had previous knowledge of UHS MCAT You can just revise the syllabus you studied for your provincial medical enterance test exam and most of the questions will be on the same format and mostly from Punjab textbook board books.

I scored 76 marks out of 100.

If you are selected you will be notified by Research scholar [foreign scholar-1 (FS-1)], Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPS Division), Government of Pakistan (GoP) via provisional offer
letter about nature of selection whether Principal or Alternate within 2 weeks period as shown below:

Provisional Selection Letter

Applying for the Medical / Dental College:

Provisional offer letter is accompanied by form which should be filled in triplicate and attatch attested copies of SSC and HSSC  Mark sheets and certificates and CNIC or B-form issued by Nadra - if less than 18 years of age at the time of application.

You have to make 60 USD draft in favour of ''THE DIRECTOR MEDICAL EDUACTION, MOAKHALI, DHAKA BANGLADESH''

Submit all these documents at the  Research scholar [foreign scholar-1 (FS-1)], Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPS Division), Government of Pakistan (GoP) by hand within the stipulated date.

Meanwhile you have to attest SSC & HSSC Mark Sheets and Certificates from Ministry of foreign affairs the process of which is mentioned in separate post.

To know more about Attestation open this link 

http://mbbsinbdforpakstudents.blogspot.com/2016/10/how-to-attest-you-sscmatric-and-hsscfsc.html

 It will take some time.

After 4 months I was contacted by  Research scholar [foreign scholar-1 (FS-1)], Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPS Division), Government of Pakistan (GoP) and told us to collect offer of admission which mentions the college you have been selected to, from following address:

Room No. 7, Floor no. 11, Shaheed-e-Millit Secretariat, China Chowk, Islamabad

Offer of admission looks like this:

Final Selection Letter / Merit list

Next step is Applying for Visa. This is explained in a separate post open the link mentioned below:

http://mbbsinbdforpakstudents.blogspot.com/2016/10/how-to-apply-for-student-visa-in.html


Apply for PMDC NOC - Not an urgent task though

For more details open this link:

http://mbbsinbdforpakstudents.blogspot.com/2016/10/applying-for-issuance-of-pmdc-noc-for.html

Points to note: 

You can get to know about your selection before the ministry by regularly checking the website of Directorate General of Health Services, Moakhali, Bangladesh that is

http://www.dghs.gov.bd/index.php/en/home

Under the heading of SAARC admissions as shown below:

Office order from DGHS, Bangladesh

There is no need to bother NTS, IPS division, DGHS, Bangladesh or Bangladesh High commission, Islamabad regarding your admission as they will also get to know after they receive written letter from DGHS, Bangladesh......... Be Patient.

• 
  

I hope it helps.

Alternatives for a Pakistani Pre -Medical student, if he fails to get admission in government medical colleges of Pakistan

This blog targets those Pakistani Pre -Medical students who gave UHS MCAT(in case of Punjab) or other provincial medical entrance examinee  and failed to score an aggregate enough to get an admission in government medical colleges of  Pakistan.

So, the alternatives are:

• Repeat - most common I guess - try to improve marks in HSSC or MCAT and aim for next year, personally I think this is the wastage of time to study again all those subjects which we will never be using in future.
• Enter into some private medical college - if you are rich enough or take a loan and study, might  cost you 3 million PKR for whole session - 5 years. 
• Go to china  and study - there are so many agents that can help you in this regard, newspapers are full of their advertisements
• Get admission in some other field such as D-Pharm, veterinary medicine, Bsc in Biology,            physiotherapy, psychiatry etc,
• GETTING ADMISSION IN BANGLADESH MEDICAL AND DENTAL COLLEGES. Last and most important option which normally people ignore and the sole purpose of writing this blog is to highlight this option.

My blog will be specifically concerned about the LAST OPTION as mentioned above

Some thing about me:

Coming soon


There is an annual quota of 22 Pakistanis in medical and dental colleges of Bangladesh under self-finance scheme which every candidate should utilize. You can visit this link for more information:

Coming Soon, Under construction