Teachers, peons occupy lone students' dormitory for over decades

Dormitory of Chittagong Government Commerce College where teachers and peons of the college live along with their families.Photo: STAR

The lone dormitory for the students of Chittagong Government Commerce College is being used as quarters for teachers and peons, forcing the students to stay outside for over one and a half decades.
The teachers and peons occupied the four-storey building when the authorities asked the students to vacate the dormitory after a clash between Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) in 1989, leaving one Shibir activist dead.
Sources at college authorities said the dormitory could not be opened for the students for 'security' reason till date though there is a camp of 25 Ansar men of Double Mooring Police Station in the building.
Families of some of college peons now live on the ground floor and teachers' families on the second and third floors.
The families defaced the building by erecting bamboo fencing or using wood and other materials what they needed.
The students travelling from distant places are to spend a lot of time everyday for attending the classes for lack of accommodation.
Several students preferring anonymity said they want reopening of the dormitory and construction of more dormitories on the campus for the sake of smooth studies.
"I have to lose at least four hours a day only to go to the college and return home," said a student who attend classes from Patiya upazila.
"I could give more time for study if I could stay at the dormitory," he added.
The students said the "security reason" is a lame excuse for keeping the dormitory closed for the occupiers.
"There are many college and universities in the country where the students of different opinions stay in the same dormitories," they said.
They demand immediate reopening of the dormitory and construction of new ones to help them keep pace with students of other renowned colleges of Chittagong region.
The college started its journey in 1947 and the 250-seat dormitory was established in 1963.
But, the congenial atmosphere of co-existence at the dormitory started deteriorating when the conflicts began among the student organisations of different political parties over establishing supremacy on the campus in 1984, sources said.
BCL Commerce College Unit President Jahangir Hossain Shanta said they appealed to the principals and the authorities concerned repeatedly for reopening of the dormitory in vain.
He said the college authorities recently have assured them of taking steps for reopening the dormitory and a committee has been formed in this regard.
Principal Prof Syed Mohammad Shahidullah said the committee has been formed on August 12 headed by Prof Dr Mohammad Ali Chowdhury and submit its report on the present condition of the building.
He said at present the dormitory is not fit for the students to reside as it lacks in furniture and other things required for a residential hall.
"Besides, the building is getting worn-out day by day. Only one employee takes care of the dormitory others either have gone into retirement or died," Prof Shahidullah said.
The teachers and the peons are living in the dormitory free of cost as "caretakers" of the building.
He, however, said the Public Works Department and Education Engineering Department have repaired the building and it will reopen if the government wants.
He said no demand for reopening the dormitory came either from the students or from any student organisations.
Khandaker Rezaul Hasan, officer in-charge (OC) of the Double-mooring Police Station said the Ansar men are staying there due to lack of accommodation.
"If the authorities reopen the dormitory we would shift them over to the Police Line immediately," Rezaul said.
Around 5,000 students are studying in HSC, BBS, Honours and MA courses in the college.