Students of the Dhaka Medical College on Monday continued their protest on campus to press their demand for safe accommodation, defying the DMC authorities’ directive to vacate hostels.
The protesting students said that they met health adviser Nurjahan Begum on Monday, but did not find any solution to their demand.
‘We met the health adviser today (Monday), but no solution was offered. Without a clear commitment from the authorities, we will neither return to classes nor vacate the hostels,’ said Abdullah Al Noman, one of the student representatives.
The DMC administration on Saturday issued a notice asking students to vacate the hostels by Monday noon and suspended all academic activities for an indefinite period as the students’ protest entered its fourth week.
The protest began on May 28 with a five-point demand, including the renovation of existing hostels and a time frame for constructing new ones.
During a visit to Shaheed Dr Fazle Rabbi Hall on Monday, it was found that students still residing in their rooms at the hostel, but many were seen anxious over their safety in dilapidated hostel buildings and academic future.
A team from the Public Works Department also inspected the hostel again on Monday.
PWD superintending engineer AKM Kamruzzaman, who was with the inspection team, said that the hostel buildings were constructed in 1950s and had become unsafe.
‘We are currently drafting a new project proposal for the construction of new buildings,’ he said.
Students said that the crisis did not emerge overnight. ‘We raised the issue several times to the authorities, but they turned a deaf ear to our concerns,’ one of the students said, adding that at least 1,500 students required accommodation, but the dilapidated hostel buildings were crammed with about 500 students.
In protest, members of the K-52 batch boycotted their orientation programme.
Hall provost Professor Shahidul Islam Akon admitted the legitimacy of the students’ demands. DMC principal Professor Kamrul Alam also admitted the seriousness of the situation.
‘There is no doubt the demands are valid, but resolving them will take time,’ he said.
‘We’ve raised the issue repeatedly to the government, which has promised action. I urge the students to return to class — we are working on a solution,’ he added.
