Most of the students of Chittagong University (CU) are not getting proper information and communications technology services for lack of required number of computer labs and internet facilities.
They are lagging behind technologically as internet facilities provided to them are not adequate till now, said Dr Mohammad Hanif Siddique, chairman of the Computer Science and Engineering Department.
If computer labs and internet facilities are provided to all departments and student dormitories, students will be skilled in ICT, which is very important for the competitive job market, he said. If the students become skilled in ICT, they will also contribute greatly to achieving the Vision-2021 of the government.
Dr Hanif said the government as well as the University Grants Commission (UGC) should increase funds in the university ICT sector for boosting up technological facilities.
There is no computer lab for the students in 15 departments -- Bangla, English, History, Philosophy, Arabic, Oriental Languages, Islamic Studies, Dramatics, Zoology, Geography and Environmental Studies, Soil Science, Genetic Engineering and Bio-technology, Microbiology, Botany and International Relations. Out of 35 departments, only Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Political Science departments have computer labs without internet connection, sources said.
Institute of Fine Arts has no internet facilities while the students of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences are enjoying scanty lab and internet facilities.
Meanwhile, a computer lab was recently opened for the students of Institute of Marine Science and Fisheries without internet connection. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department has installed a lab for the students, sources added.
There is no computer lab in seven male dormitories of the university while three female halls have labs without adequate number of computers and without internet connection, sources said,
Many students of Geography and Environmental Studies and International Relations departments are not able to enjoy computer and internet facilities at present although all students need to use internet everyday since course related various materials and topics are there.
It is a matter of great regret that a large number of students are not getting enough opportunity to use internet due to lack of proper initiatives by the university authority, they said.
The global education curriculum is changing on a regular basis incorporating new innovations, ideas and thoughts, but the CU students still lag behind due to lack of sufficient technological facilities, they added.
Mohammad Faridul Alam, chairman of International Relations Department, admitted the necessity of computer labs and internet facilities for the students as they are to browse various topics. Alam said, "We have a plan of installing a computer lab with internet facilities in our department very soon so that the students get easy access to internet."
He said they are unable to install computer lab now due to fund constraint, he added.
Students of 15 departments including Computer Science and Engineering, Applied Physics, Economics, Communication and Journalism, Sociology, Anthropology, Public Administration, Statistics, Psychology, Finance, Accounting, Management, Marketing, Law and Islamic History and Culture are now enjoying the facilities of computer labs and internet connection, sources said.
Vice Chancellor Prof Md Anwarul Azim Arif said they have plans to bring the university under the purview of ICT.
As part of the plans, a process of expanding internet connection on the campus is going on, he said, adding that to provide high-speed broadband services, strong internet backbone will also be installed very soon.
Prof Arif expressed hope that after the installation of strong internet backbone on the campus the university family will be able to enjoy quality ICT facilities.