No dormitories for RU IBA students

It has been three years since Institute of Business Administration (IBA) of Rajshahi University (RU) was given a separate academic building, but its students are deprived of residential facilities. Students of all other departments can live in university dormitories.

As a result, around 200 students of the institute have been suffering from acute accommodation problems. To continue studying in RU, IBA students have to incur high costs of renting private spaces outside the campus.

In 2016, a separate building for IBA was established inside campus, away from other academic buildings. A separate dormitory was also promised at the time, so IBA students were not allowed to stay at existing halls.

A second-year student of IBA, Mehedi Hasan, said, “We have to pay extra money for private accommodation facilities, where meals are also more expensive. Many of us cannot afford this.”

Students said private hostels are often closed a few days before vacation starts, during the time of their exams. So they are left without a place to stay, while their exams are ongoing.

Another student, Nazmul Islam said, “Living in private dormitories, we do not get appropriate environment for studying. We don't have access to hall library, reading room, wi-fi services etc, and we are excluded from hall-centric cultural programmes.”

A fourth-year female student at IBA who wishes to stay anonymous said, “University dormitories are much safer than off-campus facilities. In private hostels, owners and outsiders often violate our privacy and insult us verbally.”

IBA Director Prof Shamsuddoha said, “We sent a proposal to University Grants Commission (UGC) two years ago to solve the ongoing problems. But we're yet to get an answer.”

“However, we also asked the university authorities to establish a new dormitory adjacent to the academic building, and it is now processing under university development plan,” he added.

When called over the phone, RU Vice Chancellor Prof Abdus Sobhan was not available for comments.

There are 18 residential halls in RU -- 11 for male students, six for female students and one for international students and researchers.