Bogra Azizul Haque college beset with manifold problems

Government Azizul Haque College in Bogra faces multifarious problems, including shortage of teachers, classrooms and accommodation. Photo: STAR

Academic activities of over 41,000 students of Government Azizul Haque College in Bogra are hampered as the institution is beset with multifarious problems including shortage of classrooms, teachers and accommodation for long.
"We have only 36 classrooms, against the need of 70 ones, for 42 courses including 23 at honours and 19 at masters' level, while only 163 teachers are working against the requirement of 256," said Prof AKM Salamatullah, principal of the college.
One of the largest educational institutions in the country's northern region, the college was established in 1939 and declared a government institution in 1968, but not a single department has full-fledged educational facilities.
“Most of the times we have to leave the classroom before the scheduled time as the teachers have to shorten their lectures to spare the rooms for other classes,” said Md Shihab Uddin, a student.
Around 17,000 students of the college have to accommodate themselves in about 450 private-run messes in areas near the college, he said.
"More than 700 girls are staying in Begum Rokeya Hall that has accommodation capacity for only 350 residents. Most of the toilets have remained with broken doors for long," said Zannatul Naem Smrity, a third year student of English department.
“Even we have to share a table with two to three roommates. We are not happy with dining and cafeteria facilities," said Sharifa Sultana of the same department.
There are only 670 seats in four students' hostels in the college, college sources said.
"I have to pay on an average Tk 3,000 per month as mess charge whereas per person hostel charge at the government college is around Tk 1000 including meals," said Mostafa Sabuj, a student of sociology.
The government has approved construction of an academic building at a cost of Tk 12 crore to solve the classroom crisis but the work is yet to start, said the college principal.
Transport is yet another problem. Four 52-seat buses are too inadequate to carry over 20,000 students from different areas of the district, college sources said, adding that at least four more buses are needed for the purpose.
Md Mamun-ur-Rashid, a former student of English department of the college, said, "Due to scarcity of books at the library, we had to go to private tutors and other places for preparing notes."
Students find it difficult to complete their syllabus as the situation has remained the same, said Mamun, now serving as a lecturer in Kahaloo Women's Degree College in Bogra district.