The education ministry has directed Jahangirnagar University to immediately halt all ‘illegal’ construction works under its Tk 1445.36 crore ‘Further Development Project’, citing concerns over legal violations and ecological disruption on campus.
In an official notice issued on Tuesday, the ministry stated that the ongoing construction must be paused until a comprehensive master plan was formulated.
The ministry also requested a formal statement from the university about ongoing protests surrounding the project’s impact on biodiversity.
The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha also issued a letter to the university on the day, stating that the university is going on with the construction works without the mandatory design approvals.
RAJUK emphasised that all future development must comply with The Town Improvement Act 1953, the Building Construction Act 1952, and the Dhaka Metropolitan Building Construction Rules 2008.
‘These legal frameworks are critical to ensuring safe, lawful, and sustainable development,’ RAJUK’s Chief Urban Planner Md Asmarur Rahman said.
The directive comes amid growing student protests under the banner of Jahangirnagar Bachao Andolan, a movement opposing the large-scale project due to its impact on the university’s ecological balance.
Earlier in 2018, the ECNEC approved a mega project of Tk 1445.36 crore for constructing buildings including six residential halls, an administrative building, a lecture theatre, a library, teachers and staff quarters, and others.
