Jagannath University students’ demands are reasonable
Jagannath University (JnU) is the second largest public university in Dhaka in terms of student population. Over 17,000 students are currently enrolled across 38 departments and two institutions of JnU. Located in Old Dhaka, the university serves as a vibrant cultural and political hub. I joined this esteemed educational institution in 2016, and since then, I have witnessed the various challenges its students face.
At the beginning of this semester, I had a striking realisation during a class on business and economic reporting with fourth-year students. The class begins at 12:45pm. As part of my routine, I walk around the room to interact with students before starting the lecture. To my surprise, I noticed that most of them appeared tired, sleepy, overly exhausted, and some even looked hungry. They were clearly not in the right state of mind for learning. When I inquired about the reasons behind their condition, I uncovered some harsh realities.
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To attend their classes, most JnU students begin their journey to campus at as early as 6am, with some starting even earlier. Morning classes typically begin at 8:30am. After attending two or three classes, a fourth consecutive session becomes an overwhelming challenge. Their day ends with a 3:30pm bus ride home, with some students travelling long distances, such as from Cumilla. This gruelling routine continues for at least four days a week, leaving students physically and mentally drained. It is no wonder they are desperately demanding access to proper accommodation facilities.
On Sunday, I saw an ambulance carrying one of the students who had fallen ill during a hunger strike around 12:30pm on the JnU campus. As a teacher, I felt deeply ashamed that a student had to jeopardise their health and life simply to demand safe and accessible housing. Their demands include transferring the second campus project to the army, providing temporary accommodation, and offering housing allowances. Are these demands unreasonable? Not at all. In fact, these are fundamental rights, and it is disgraceful that students are forced to risk their lives to secure them.
While entrusting the construction of the second campus to the Bangladesh Army is not an ideal solution, it appears to be the only viable option left. Corruption, mismanagement, and inefficiency have already derailed the dream of a second campus. Students trust the army because of its reputation for professionalism, discipline, and the ability to complete projects efficiently.
On Monday, my department held two important academic meetings. Students were also supposed to participate in an inter-department volleyball competition. However, instead of engaging in these academic and extracurricular activities, they continued their hunger strike. Suspending even one day of academic and co-curricular activities at a public university is a significant and irreparable loss. We need our students back in class as soon as possible, but this cannot happen until their demands are addressed with urgency.
If anyone doubts the struggles of JnU students, I invite them to visit the campus on any weekday. The JnU campus in Old Dhaka is one of the most crowded academic spaces in the country. Female students have access to a single residential hall, but male students lack even that. The university has no playground, our century-old canteen is in disrepair, and there is no common room for male students. These are just a few of the many issues plaguing the institution. A higher education institution cannot function effectively under these circumstances.
I humbly urge the authorities to take immediate action to complete the second campus. Our students are suffering, and their pleas for this essential facility cannot be ignored any longer.
Rahat Minhaz is assistant professor of mass communication and journalism at Jagannath University in Dhaka. He can be reached at minhaz_uddin_du@yahoo.com.
Views expressed in this article are the author's own.
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