Ducsu member threatens to move in to VC’s residence

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) member Tanbir Hasan Shaikat yesterday issued a 15-day ultimatum to the university administration to resolve the accommodation crisis on campus.

Tanbir, a former member of Chhatra League’s central unit, threatened to move in at the vice-chancellor’s residence if the authority fails to take any effective measure by this time.

He issued the ultimatum at a student rally held at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture. The event drew a good number of students.  

To cope with the existing seat crisis, the hall authorities at DU accommodate students in what’s known as “Gono Room” (mass room) in every hall. Around 35-40 students live in each of these rooms.

Tanbir claimed that Dhaka University could not make it to the ranking of world’s top 1,000 universities because of the “accommodation crisis” and that the student wing of the ruling party uses this as a “political tool”.

He also said, “The university should enrol new students only after solving the current accommodation problem. If the authorities cannot accommodate first year students, how will they make proper arrangements for newcomers?”

“We will start to live in your house if you fail to come up with any logical solution to the ‘Gono Room’ practice. The deadline will not extend,” the graduate Ducsu member said, addressing the VC.

Earlier, Tanbir, who was elected to Ducsu from BCL’s panel, started staying with first year students at Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall’s ‘Gono Room’, leaving his own seat empty as he could not provide any solution to the crisis.

He also announced that he would not resume occupying his seat if university authorities failed to provide seats to other students first.