Around 60 per cent of students at 50 public universities have no residential facilities, according to a latest annual report of University Grants Commission (UGC).
As many as 2,92,296 students study in 50 public universities.
Students of indigent families from all over the country mainly come to study in the public universities.
As these universities have no adequate residential facilities, the students have to face various difficulties.
Mahatir Hasan is a 3rd year student at the mass communication and journalism department in Jagannath University.
Hasan, a resident of Narail district, and his friend stay in a rented room in Shantinagar. He has to pay Tk 4,200 as the house rent. He has to spend a total of Tk 8,000-10,000 including food and conveyance.
Hasan has to go to Old Dhaka from Shantinagar to attend classes and exams at the universities.
Although Jagannath College was turned into a university two decades ago, no residential halls have been established except one a residential hall for female students.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Mahathir Hasan said he has to stay in a rented house as the university that has no residential halls. As a result, he has to face all sorts of hassles including traffic congestion in Old Dhaka to reach the university.
Hasan, a resident of Narail district, and his friend stay in a rented room in Shantinagar. He has to pay Tk 4,200 as the house rent. He has to spend a total of Tk 8,000-10,000 including food and conveyance.
However, many public universities have residential halls and the students only can stay in the hall at the behest of student leaders. They stay in the 'mass' rooms (known as gono rooms) where there is no environment for studies. After completion of studies, many students stay in the hall with their political identity.
In most of the cases, the ruling party-backed student organisations control the residential halls.
Situation of residential facilities
The UGC annual report published in October mentions various details about higher education including the housing crisis. The report has been made based on information of 2022.
Students at public universities need adequate residential facilities. A major portion of students come from rural areas. Most of them get seats in the second or third years. If there is no food and accommodation facilities for the students, they cannot study properly.
According to the report, 2,92,296 students study in 50 public universities. Of the students, 1,18,036 students had housing facilities. Over 68,000 students are male while 49,000 students are female.
As per UGC information, there were a total of 252 residential halls, dormitories and hostels in the public universities.
There are allegations that the housing crisis has intensified as the number of students has been raised by increasing departments and institutions at the different universities in an unplanned manner.
When asked about the matter, UGC chairman professor Muhammad Alamgir, speaking to Prothom Alo, said the departments and seats are increased without establishing new halls in context of various realities as well as due to fund crisis.
However, he thinks the number of students should not be raised without increasing housing facilities.
UGC chairman also said unscrupulous politics is practised in the universities centering the seats in the residential halls. If there were no seat crisis, this problem would not emerge.
It is not mandatory that there will be arrangements of housing facilities for all students. But many related to education think the students at the public universities should have housing facilities as per necessity in the context of socioeconomic realities.
Jahangirnagar University is a full residential university. But the UGC reports said there were over 15,000 students in 2022. But 82 per cent of students had residential facilities.
However, the university sources said six new halls have been established in these universities. Now the total residential halls stand at 21. New six halls have around 6,000 seats. But two halls have not been launched yet.
Dhaka University is the oldest university and 55 per cent of students at this university have no housing facilities.
According to UGC information, there were 83 departments and 13 institutes in this university in 2022. There are a total of 23 halls and hostels in this university. Of the over 36,000 students, 45 per cent students had residential facilities.
Some 65 students at Rajshahi University have residential facilities. About half of the students at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have residential facilities.
The universities which are lagging behind in residential facilities are Jagannath University, Islami University in Kushtia, Mawlana Bhashani Science & Technology University, Cumilla University, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Pabna University of Science and Technology, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Barishal University, Rangamati Science and Technology University and Rabindra University.
UGC information said all students of Bangladesh Agriculture University, Patuakhali Science & Technology University (PSTU) and Sylhet Agricultural University had residential facilities.
Some 98 per cent students at Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University had residential facilities and 94 per cent of students at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) had residential facilities.
The UGC report also said 100 private universities conducted academic activities in 2022. These universities have 97 hostels. Of about 350,000 students, only four per cent of students have residential facilities.
Administration must take responsibility
Professor at Dhaka University Development Studies department, Mohammad Abu Yusuf conducts research on various issues of education and its budget.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said students at public universities need adequate residential facilities. A major portion of students come from rural areas. Most of them get seats in the second or third years. If there are no food and accomodation facilities for the students, they cannot study properly.
Mohammad Abu Yusuf said the hall administration has to ensure residential facilities for the students.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam