More than 2,600 seats allocated for foreign students have remained vacant during these long period, university sources confirmed. In contrast, several public and private universities across Bangladesh — including the universities of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Jahangirnagar — continue to attract foreign students each year for undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

Although CU does not require international applicants to sit for admission tests, interest has remained persistently low.

The first batch of foreign students at CU was admitted in the 1987–88 academic session, with four Nepali students joining the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences. Between 1990–91 and 1998–99, another 15 Nepali students pursued undergraduate courses at the same institute, followed by four others who enrolled in master's programmes between 1999–2000 and 2002–03, according to the sources at the university administration.

Since then, no foreign student has been admitted to CU's degree programmes.

Only four Chinese students attended a one-year language course at the Institute of Modern Languages in 2017–18, while one foreign student is currently pursuing an online degree under the Faculty of Law.

According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), 633 foreign students are currently studying at 21 public universities in Bangladesh. Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University hosts the highest number, 112, followed by Bangladesh Agricultural University (91), Gopalganj University of Science and Technology (87), and Dhaka University (66).

Private universities, meanwhile, attract international students through third-party agencies and partnerships, an approach not practised by CU or most public universities.

Foreign students seeking admission to Bangladeshi public universities must apply through their country's Bangladeshi embassy and the Ministry of Education, which forwards applications to universities based on reserved quotas.

At CU, two seats in each department and five in the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, totalling 113 seats, are reserved for foreign students. However, no applications have been received under this quota since 2002.

Talking to this correspondent, CU Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Shamim Uddin admitted the lack of sustained initiatives to attract foreign students.

Campus instability, student politics, accommodation shortages, session jams, and food insecurity have also discouraged applicants, he said.

"We are now planning to introduce new courses under the Institute of Modern Languages and improve accommodation and dining facilities to attract international students."

"Previously, Nepali students came here because their universities didn't offer forestry or environmental science. Now they have those opportunities at home, so their need to study in Bangladesh has declined," he further said.

Nepal's Pokhara University was established in 1997, which introduced forestry and environmental science programmes previously unavailable there.

Director of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Professor Akhtar Hossain, echoed similar views, saying accommodation and food issues also played a role.

"While general universities have few foreign students, medical colleges and Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science & Technology University still attract many," he said.

Despite the long hiatus, CU authorities remain hopeful that new initiatives and improved facilities will help the university once again welcome foreign students to its campus.