The dormitories of Dhaka University no longer have any "gono rooms", where students, especially freshers, were crammed into usually by the ruling party's student wing.

In most cases, 20 to 25 students were packed like sardines into a room with just four single beds.

During the Awami League's 15 years in power, its student body Chhatra League controlled the seat management in the dormitories.

However, the situation began to change after the fall of the AL government on August 5 as all Chhatra League leaders, most of whom were non-students, left the dorms.

General students quickly seized the opportunity and moved to the rooms vacated by BCL men.

Before the ouster of the AL government, there were at least 128 "gono rooms" in 18 dormitories, housing nearly 2,500 students in awful conditions.

"Just two months ago, I used to live in a room with 20 others. Now I'm in the same room, but with only five students," said Tanim Chowdhury, a first-year student of Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall.

This correspondent spoke to at least 20 students of various halls, who said that there are no "gono rooms" in any of the halls now. They hope that the dormitories' authorities will soon issue notices allotting seats to students once administrative activities fully resume.

On Monday night, the DU authorities issued a notice abolishing "gono rooms" in all halls. They asked the students, who were admitted in 2017-18 session and those who have completed their master's examinations, to vacate the dormitories before September 30.

Students and house tutors of five halls said many Chhatra League leaders continued to occupy rooms in their dormitories even six to seven years after having finished their graduation and post-graduation.

However, the hall administrations turned a blind eye to students' plight. Finding no way, many students would seek help from BCL leaders for somewhere to stay in the hall, and the BCL leaders took advantage of the situation and accommodated the students in the "gono rooms".

"There was an unwritten rule that the first-year and second-year students would not get seats in the halls. As they [Chhatra League leaders] had absolute control over the seat management, students had no choice but to follow their directives," said fourth-year student Saiful Islam Farhan.

He alleged that BCL leaders forced students to attend their political events. And those who did not follow their instructions, they would drive them away from the dorms or torture them.

A house tutor of Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall said there was never a seat crisis in any of the halls. "It was created artificially by the then ruling party student body to serve their purposes."

In September 2021, the DU authorities announced plans to get rid of "gono rooms". But their announcement remained only in mere words.

This time, the authorities started allotting seats to students in the dormitories.

For example, the Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall authorities issued a notice allotting seats only to regular students.

"We exchanged views with students and distributed the seats based on the students' academic session. With this, the 'gono room' culture in our hall is finally over," said Khandakar Rubyat Mursalin, a house tutor.

"For the first time, I saw smiles on the faces of hundreds of students in my hall. I had always dreamed of such a day where teachers would take the responsibility of the dormitories."