Jahangirnagar University is one of the most beautiful and environment friendly universities of the country with natural lakes, water lilies, migratory birds, and rich flora and fauna.

But the authorities' decision of allowing outsiders to enjoy the campus as a picnic spot is damaging its greenery and affecting the university's environment, academic ambience, and security, alleged teachers and students.

Loud noise, massive crowds, and piles of garbage lying here and there have now become common on the campus, they added.

Outsiders flock to the university for picnics, dig up earth to make temporary ovens, and disturb the animals and environment. Also, huge crowds roam around unchecked after parking their vehicles across the campus, and before leaving the site they turn respective areas into dumping spots, alleged teachers and students.

"I feel insecure because of outsiders; this is a place for higher education and research, not for enjoying reunions of different districts, picnics of school-college or anything else," said Associate Professor Golam Rabbani of history. 

"Some unscrupulous staffers are making money by doing this," he said, adding, "People involved in higher studies and researches are always welcome here."

"A university is a sacred place. Security is becoming worse due to the overflow of people and their vehicles. Even we can't walk freely," alleged Associate Professor Rayhan Rhyne of philosophy. 

"We can't even have our meals at Battala, crowds are everywhere…They have turned different places of JU into garbage spots, which has a direct impact on the physical environment," said Prof Khabir Uddin of environmental sciences.

A squabble between a guest and some students occurred a few weeks before as a picnic-goer parked his car on the road, congesting the passage. There was also another student-outsider confrontation in the transport area, said Hassan Mahmud, a second-year anthropology student.

A policy has to be formed immediately, students and teachers echoed, adding that the authorities need to place some awareness boards and install a good number of trash bins to keep the campus clean.   

We allow people to enjoy the local and migratory birds and lilies during winter, but visitors started coming in groups and soon arranged picnics here, said Registrar Abu Bakr Siddque.

"We are going to form a standard policy through JU syndicate to restrict visiting the university and entering of the outsiders," he added.

Only after complying with university terms and conditions and paying fees, visitors and outsiders could come to the university, he said, adding that it will be enacted very soon. "In the future, visitors will have to follow instructions, and they would only be allowed to prepare food near the cafeteria."