Public university with just two classrooms!

Rangamati Science and Technology University (RSTU) has  two classrooms and multiple problems. 

Prothom Alo correspondent recently visited this public university at Tabalchhari area of Rangamati town. There was no permanent campus, added to which was a crisis of teachers and infrastructure facilities. The university has two departments, Management and Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). CSE has no laboratory. This university, the only public university in Chittagong Hill Tracts, started functioning four years ago but is limping along.

Despite this precarious situation, there are plans to open seven more departments.

Meanwhile, the university authorities have advertised for admission of students for the new academic session under two departments. The students and teachers fear the crisis will worsen.

Student of CSE Manzurul Azad said they can't attend practical classes due to lack of a lab. A room has been rented for laboratory purposes, but is yet to start.

He fears even after he completes his studies, he will face a crisis in the job market due to setback in lab facilities.

Even in the very beginning they had to suffer session jam, Manzurul said.

Although he was supposed to complete the 3rd year by now, he now has just started the 3rd year.

Vice chancellor Pradanendu Bikash Chakma said he is facing various crises.

"I am trying to solve the problems but it is not possible to solve all the problems," the VC added.

Officials at the university administration said plans to establish this university was formulated during the Awami League rule in 2001. After coming to power again in 2009, the ruling AL launched the formal activities of the university. 

Pradanendu Bikash Chakma was appointed as VC of the university in 2014. His tenure will expire next month.

The university started its academic session of 2014-15 through admission of students under Management and CSE departments.

The academic activities started in a one-storey rented building near Multipurpose High School at Tabalchhari area of Rangamati town. Classes started in 2015.

There are 264 students in two departments. A total of 50 students get admitted in each of two departments every year. Since its inception, there should be a total of 300 students, but due to various crises, after the admission many students drop out.

Puja Barua, a female student of management, said she is not happy with such an environment.

"We have only one room for three batches. We have to face problems. But, our teachers are sincere," she said.

Student of CSE Nazmul Hasan said, "A university cannot run this way. We want a proper environment for education."

A student named Nazmul said the room rented for the lab is being used as a classroom.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, the VC said tenders were called twice for establishing a laboratory. But bidders did not comply with the conditions. Tenders will be called again.

Visiting another building, it was found two rooms were rented and eight teachers of two departments sit there. Students reside in other rooms of this building. There is a library in name in one room of the building.

Lecturer of the management department Suchana Akhtar said they cannot do a lot for the students. The students are facing crisis, she added.

Administrative officials said a number of teachers will be recruited soon. The number of teachers is low, but there are over 50 officials and employees.

Despite the bad conditions, the administration has applied to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to allow activities of seven new departments. The proposed seven departments are: Fisheries and Marine Resource Technology, Forestry and Environmental Science, Botany, Management Information System, Finance-Banking and Insurance, Geology and Natural Resources and Electrical and Electronics.

Teachers, students and officials said the main problem of this university is it has no campus of its own. Now academic activities are going on in its temporary campus at Tabalchhari. But temporary head office is at Bhedbhedi area ten kilometers away. VC and administration officials sit there.

VC said a plot of land had recently been bought for the university at Jhograbil area. He hoped the crisis would be resolved after the establishment of the university's own campus.

There are apprehensions that it will take time to build a new campus.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, UGC chairman Abdul Mannan said the university is operating in a limited way due to some problems in the locality. He said UGC is providing all sorts of assistance for the development of the university.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.