JU pushes ahead with mega infrastructure project

Jahangirnagar University (JU), long celebrated for its green fields, serene lakes, and woodland landscape, is steadily losing its natural charm to a wave of unplanned development, as authorities push ahead with a mega infrastructure project without revising its masterplan or securing necessary regulatory approvals.

The university's original masterplan, designed by architect Muzharul Islam between 1967 and 1970, has largely been neglected over the years.

No revised masterplan has been implemented to guide recent development efforts, which urban planning experts say is causing significant harm to the campus's ecological stability and long-term liveability.

In 2018, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a Tk 1,445.36 crore development project involving the construction of 22 new buildings, including six residential halls, an administrative building, a lecture theatre, and a library.

According to the JU engineering office, six 10-storey dormitories have been completed, construction on 13 more buildings is ongoing, and the remaining three are yet to commence.

So far, approximately Tk 920 crore has been spent under the project.

Despite the scale and environmental implications of the project, it has proceeded without a revised masterplan and without mandatory approval from RAJUK, the authority responsible for overseeing urban development in and around Dhaka.

On May 13, 2025, RAJUK formally directed JU to carry out construction in line with a masterplan and obtain necessary clearances.

"Any construction that alters or reduces the designated gardens, playgrounds, public spaces, or water bodies shown in the university's masterplan is a clear violation of the Natural Water Reservoir Conservation Act, 2000," read the letter, signed by RAJUK's Chief Urban Planner Md Ashraful Islam.

"For any structural development within the Jahangirnagar University area, construction must follow the guidelines outlined in the approved masterplan, and permission must be obtained under the Dhaka Metropolitan Building (Construction, Development, Preservation and Demolition) Rules, 2008," it added.

Five days earlier, on May 8, the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry had also issued a letter to JU, seeking a formal response regarding the formulation of a revised masterplan.

The ministry asked whether construction should be halted until such a plan is prepared, a move prompted by a memorandum from Jahangirnagar Bachao Andolon, a student-led platform advocating sustainable development on campus.

Riddha Anindiya Ganguly, general secretary of the JU unit of Bangladesh Student Union and a coordinator of Jahangirnagar Bachao Andolon, said, "Formulating a master plan before implementing this mega project has been our long-standing demand. We resisted earlier attempts; however, previous administrations continued the work illegally by using force and ignoring this demand.

"After August 5, under the new administration—led by faculty members who had previously expressed solidarity with our movement—we expected a change. But unfortunately, we found that they too wanted to proceed without formulating a master plan.

"Our stance remains unchanged: we will not allow any further construction without a proper master plan."

In response, JU Chief Engineer Md Nasir Uddin said, "In 2016, the education ministry instructed JU to formulate a revised masterplan. Buet was assigned to prepare the plan, which was completed in 2017 and presented to the UGC, Planning Commission, ECNEC, and the Education Ministry. Based on that, the Development Project Proposal (DPP) was approved."

He also questioned RAJUK's current intervention.

"To my knowledge, no project since the university's establishment has ever sought RAJUK approval. Why are they raising objections now? Moreover, the JU campus falls outside RAJUK's designated territory," he said, adding, "The masterplan formulated in 2017 has limitations, and a revision is needed."

However, he acknowledged, "Since 70–80 percent of the project work has already been completed, and the deadline is December 2026, it's not feasible to follow a new masterplan at this stage for the ongoing project. A new masterplan may guide future developments."

But Associate Professor Afsana Haque of JU's Urban and Regional Planning department refuted these claims.

"What was prepared in 2017 was merely a layout plan, not a comprehensive masterplan," she said.

"A proper masterplan incorporates detailed urban planning components like drainage, sewerage, road width, building height, open space conservation, socio-cultural impact, biodiversity analysis, and behavioural studies. None of that was included."

"It's already late, but not too late. A proper masterplan can mitigate further damage and guide future development. Even now, a well-prepared plan can help recover part of what's been lost," she added, noting that such a plan could be prepared within a year, and the project timeline extended through negotiations with the Education Ministry.

Contacted for comment, RAJUK Chief Urban Planner Md Ashraful Islam confirmed that JU had not sought approval for the mega project.

"As per the Town Improvement Act, 1953, approval from RAJUK is mandatory. We've asked JU authorities to obtain this approval before further construction. For buildings already constructed, we will require a detailed engineering assessment," he said.

"If the assessment reveals violations of building codes, RAJUK will take appropriate legal action under the Building Construction Act, 1952," he added.

Environmentalists and students have expressed alarm over the consequences of the unchecked development. Over 1,000 trees have reportedly been cut, while several water bodies have been filled.

Auritro Sattar, a wildlife photographer and Environmental Science major who grew up on campus, said, "This project has caused habitat fragmentation, destruction of nesting grounds for wildlife like small Indian civets and fishing cats, and disruption of migratory bird patterns. It has also created urban heat islands, increased air pollution, and severely reduced the green canopy."

Professor Amir Hossain Bhuiyan of JU's Environmental Science department noted, "JU has lost nearly 19 acres of lakes and 21 acres of wetlands in the past two decades. A major reason is the absence of a scientific masterplan to guide development. There's also no functional drainage or sewerage system."

Contacted for comments, JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan said a committee, including student representatives, has been formed.

"Visible work on a new masterplan -- including tender invitations and the submission of a Development Project Proposal (DPP) to the UGC -- will begin soon," he said.