Dhaka University
Female students demand reform in policies for married students
Recently, a fourth-year married student of Shamsunnahar Hall was forced to leave the dormitory on the condition that her cousin, a student of 2019-20 session who was eligible to get a seat in the hall, would not get it until she leaves her seat
Representatives of female students of Dhaka University has made a demand seeking reform in policies on pregnant and married students staying in the dormitories, reports UNB.
The student representatives press home the demand at a press conference at Dhaka University Journalists Association (DUJA) club at around 12:30pm on Friday.
“Is it a fault to be married? What kind of nonsense policy is it to cancel the seats of the female married students? We strongly demand to amend these policies and bring in student-friendly policies,” said former VP of Shamsunnahar Hall Sheikh Tasnim Afroze Emi.
“If the university authority helps us, we are ready to cooperate with them with our best, but if they don’t accept our demands, we will be obliged to go for a movement,” she added.
The students also demanded to allow non-resident students to enter the halls and allow them to stay in the dormitories in emergencies.
It is to be mentioned that to allot seats at five female residential halls under Dhaka University, female students have to sign an undertaking while enrolling, where one of the points says: “If any student gets married, she must inform the hall authority quickly. Otherwise, for breaking the rule, her seat will be cancelled. And pregnant students cannot stay in the dormitory.”
Recently, a fourth-year married student of Shamsunnahar Hall was forced to leave the dormitory on the condition that her cousin, a student of 2019-20 session who was eligible to get a seat in the hall, would not get it until she leaves her seat.
On the other hand, a second-year married student faced lots of difficulties from hall administration about her accommodation. The victim student refused to comment before the media.
The representatives submitted an application to DU vice chancellor professor M Akhtaruzzaman in this regard two days ago.
“Considering social values and morality, our predecessors formulated these policies and all of those policies are not bad. But in this present time, these policies need to be reconsidered,” professor Akhtaruzzaman said.
“These policies will remain in practice until we reach a logical conclusion,” he added.
“I studied in different foreign universities but didn’t see such rules. I think such rules shouldn’t exist in a 100-year-old university,” said professor Sadeka Halim, the dean of the social science faculty.
“I think hall authority should allow married students to stay in the hall,” she added.