Haji Mohammad Mohsin College, left top, a teacher takes class in a classroom divided by a shutter, left bottom, and students attend a class in a science laboratory in the college. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

Govt Haji Mohammad Mohsin College, one of the prominent colleges in the country, is facing shortage of classrooms as well as teachers, affecting studies of over 11,000 students.
Only 65 teachers taught 11,546 students in only 25 classrooms, which is too inadequate to complete the syllabus, hampering standard of education.
The college is facing difficulties to accommodate the huge students for lack of classrooms.
The seminar room, where cultural events are held, is being used as two classrooms for science students using shutters for lack of classrooms.
“Portions of science laboratory and practical rooms are also being used as classrooms for the science students, hampering the environment of practical classes”, said Abu Mohammad Mehedi Hasan, a teacher of physics department.
Of the students, 2,698 are studying in HSC, 3,470 in degree, 4,884 in honours and 494 in masters classes. There are 14 subjects in honours and two in masters in the college.
With the support of fund from Haji Mohsin, a philanthropist of 19th century, the institute was established in 1874 as Chittagong Madrasa. The madrasa was upgraded to Islamic Intermediate College in 1927 and Hazi Mohammad Mohsin College on July 20 in 1979.
It is situated on 31 acres of hilly land with panoramic natural beauty at College Road adjacent to Chittagong Govt High School and opposite to Chittagong Govt College.
The college introduced degree pass course from 1979-80 sessions and honours and masters courses from 96-97 sessions.
There are only four posts of teachers each for Bangla and English departments sanctioned by education ministry while Chemistry, Islamic History and Culture and Mathematics departments are also facing shortage of teachers.
Principal Prof Mohammad Abdul Gofran told The Daily Star said that they have shortage of teachers in many subjects that forces them to employ part-time teachers against the posts sanctioned by education ministry.
“The college pays salary of these teachers from its own fund”, he said, adding that it is very difficult for them to continue this process if the government does not create sufficient posts for all the departments.
Admitting insufficient number of classrooms, Principal Gofran said, “We have no enough space to properly accommodate the students”. He urged the education ministry to construct a new building at the college.
Principal Gofran said he has already informed the education ministry about the shortage of classrooms as well as the teachers. More classrooms are needed to complete the syllabus in time, he said.
Students said the college remains closed about 277 days a year due to public holidays, other vacations and examinations. Moreover, shortage of classrooms and teachers is aggravating the problems.
“We need adequate number of teachers and classrooms so that we can complete our syllabus in time”, said Jharna Marma, a student of accounting department.
“We have to wait outside of the classrooms as we don't have designated room for taking classes”, she added. She demanded construction of a new building to solve the problem.
Md Jahed, a student of English Department, said their scheduled classes were not held as the classrooms remained engaged most of the time of the year for degree, HSC, honours and masters examinations.
Vice-Principal Mohammad Alamgir Chowdhury said although the departments are supposed to hold five classes a day but it was impossible due to shortage of classrooms and teachers.
Mohammad Abul Basar, secretary of teachers' council of the college, said the college is supposed to have 125 teachers, according to National University law. But the Haji Mohammad Mohsin College is run by only 65 teachers, just half of the required number, he added.
These problems of the college should be solved immediately for maintaining quality of education, Basar said. The college achieved best position for best results across the country thrice and secured the first place once as the highest GPA-5 achievers in Chittagong Board, Basar added.
“The college is now lagging behind due to lack of teachers and classrooms,” said Syeda Parvin Aktar, a guardian.