Clicky
National, Back Page

Gonoroom plight worsen at DU

Authorities don’t pay any heed to solve the problem


Published : 22 Dec 2019 09:29 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 03:45 PM

Fresh students of Dhaka University are acutely suffering from multiple problems in the Gonorooms at the dormitories where about 20-25 students are being compelled to stay at a stinky room with bag and baggage like a detention camp. 

Besetting with a number of problems, including bullying, rash, insomnia they have to sleep shift by shift for lack of accommodation and most of them can’t even sleep for mosquitoes and cold air.

Under such situations, their academic life is being hampered as they have not enough seats to study. Reading rooms and Dhaka University central library are always occupied by job seeking students and former students.

Resident students of first and second semesters are the worst sufferers due to seat crisis, compounded by a good number of former students still occupying rooms at the halls. Over 1,500 male students have been living in inhumane conditions at 130 Gonorooms in 18 residential dormitories. The crisis is acute especially at male halls including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall, Haji Mohammad Muhsin Hall, Sir AF Rahman Hall and Salimullah Muslim Hall. Over 500 students are staying in mosques, corridors and Gonorooms.

While visiting various halls of the university, this correspondent witnessed that students staying under miserable conditions. Some students were found compelled to stay in the corridor and they are being affected severely by cold air and sickness. The Dhaka University (DU) students have long been speaking out against the Ganorooms and Guestrooms, but so far no action has been taken to stop such illegal activities.

Jafar Ali, a first-year residential student of Mohsin hall told the reporter, “I cherished a long dream to study at Dhaka University but unfortunately after becoming a residential student I face a bunch of problems. I can’t sleep as well,” 

Another student of Bangabandhu hall, who preferred anonymity  said, “We can’t invite none of our relatives. No one can’t believe that we are students of Dhaka University after seeing our living condition,” 

“To solve the problem the university authority has to allocate seats from first year according to the merit list. Moreover, house tutors and hall authorities have to be more careful and active to solve the problem,” he said.

The conditions of Salimullah Muslim hall, Bijoy Ekattor hall and Bangabandhu hall are beyond description. 

One of the students of Ekattor hall told The Bangladesh Post,“I can’t concentrate on my studies due to political programmes. On the other hand, the reading room of our hall does not have adequate chairs.”.

Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall residential student Tania Akter said, “After admission I became a resident of the hall by a political reference. It was horrible experience for me. We, 20 students were staying at a room in an unlivable condition,”

“University authority should ensure accommodation facilities at first, students can’t study for lack of places and it becomes a barrier to quality education,” she said.

Meanwhile, a section of protesting students of Dhaka University demands immediate end to Gonoroom crisis. DUCSU member and Chattraa league leader Tanvir Hasan Saikot left his legal seat and is staying in Gonoroom with first year students protesting accommodation crisis and authorities’ apathy to solve the problem.

“I hope newly admitted students will not need to sleep in mass rooms in the future. We are working to solve the accommodation crisis in a planned manner, through measures such as the introduction of bunk beds'” VC said.

When contacted, Hall provosts said they already took massive plan to ease the sufferings of newly admitted students who are forced to sleep on makeshift beds in mass rooms.

Mohsin hall provost Prof Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan said, “We are concerned to ease the problem. Recently the hall authority drove out illegal occupants and we will continue our drive against  outsiders at the hall, I hope the problem will solved soon”

BijayEkattor hall provost AZM shafiulAlam Bhuiyan said that they are considering about Bank Bed to ease the sufferings.

Asked to comment on these issues, DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman told The Bangladesh Post, “We have already taken some initiatives to ease the problem but we need more time to solve the problem,”

“The construction works of new halls is underway, we took up  plans for sustainable solution,” VC added.