DU female students demand cancellation of policy barring pregnant, married students at halls

The students of five female dormitories of Dhaka University (DU) have demanded the cancellation of the existing restriction on pregnant and married students over staying in their residential halls.

According to a section related to allotting seat at five female residential halls under Dhaka University, "If any student is married, she needs to inform the authorities immediately, otherwise her seat will be cancelled due to violation of rules. Only in special cases, can married students be given the opportunity to stay hall for the current session. If any student gets pregnant, she too cannot stay in halls."

The students of the five female dormitories have raised question over the rule and demanded the cancellation of it.

The student representatives of the five female dormitories yesterday submitted an application to DU Vice Chancellor Prof M Akhtaruzzaman in this regard and in the application, they pressed four-point demands, including the cancellation of rules and regulations for married and pregnant students, reports our DU correspondent.

They also demanded to allow non-resident students to enter the halls and also allow them to stay in the dormitories in case of emergency.

A complication was created with the seats of two students of Shamsun Nahar Hall and Bangladesh-Kuwait Friendship Hall as they were married students. In this context, the students went to the VC with an application to cancel the rule.

Talking to this correspondent, SK Tasnim Afroz Emi, one of the students who went to the VC's office with a written application, said the vice-chancellor told them that the decision would be taken after a meeting between the hall authorities and the deans committee. "This rule will remain in force until any notice is issued in this regard," he was quoted as saying.

DU VC Prof Dr M Akhtaruzzaman told our DU correspondent, "I have received their written application in this regard. I will discuss the matter with the teachers concerned."