Bagha, BRAC University's well-loved cat, has returned to campus, according to several students. The feline's reappearance on Thursday brought relief to many who had been concerned after reports of missing campus cats since October 27.

For weeks, Bagha had been at the centre of conversations surrounding the campus cats, who were once a familiar presence near the gardens, coffee shop, and walkways.

Hameem Sharar Juveen, a student at the university, said, "My friend called me to the pocket gate about something related to the cats. When I got there, she was holding this cat and asking, 'Isn't it Bagha?' I teared up, to be honest, because the first thing I noticed were his aquamarine eyes, I knew right away it was our Bagha."

After being identified, Bagha reportedly behaved just as he used to, darting around the ground floor before walking up the escalator, a signature move that made him a familiar sight across the campus.

"He spent an hour chasing a black-and-white cat in the garden," Juveen added with a laugh.

Bagha's story, students said, is one of resilience. Having grown up in a large campus, he was recently taken in by someone who later gave him up while he was suffering from an infection. After recovering under the care of another student, Bagha was returned to the campus. Now, he is often seen roaming freely from the gardens to the rooftop.

"We didn't want to take that freedom away from him," Juveen explained. "Akterujjaman Sir (senior manager, operations) assured us about his stay on campus and instructed guards to be compassionate towards all animals."

After Bagha's return, Yeasir Rahman Labib, another student, said he had initially planned to adopt the cat.

"He reminded me of my first cat," he said. "I even posted in the student group asking if anyone objected, because he's everyone's favourite. I didn't want to upset anyone."

Yeasir said some students helped him by arranging a basket to carry Bagha safely.

"When I went to pick him up around 2:00pm, the head of operations came and said Bagha would be safe on campus. They assured us that all the cats would be looked after," he added.

Following his release, Bagha was seen roaming the sixth floor before settling for a nap near the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

"I fed him before leaving for the night and made sure someone would feed him again today," Juveen said.

Students said they also had a brief discussion with university officials, who expressed interest in holding a formal meeting with student representatives regarding the campus animals.

Contacted, Md Akterujjaman, senior manager (Operations), said the university currently has no plans to give the cats up for adoption.

"We are ensuring the full safety of the animals and monitoring so that no one can take them out without authority approval," he said. "We are also providing food for the cats within the campus premises and will soon draft a guideline with student input."

While Bagha's return has brought joy and relief to many, several students said that more than seven cats are still unaccounted for.