35 yrs of Jagannath Hall tragedy: With an increase of buildings crumbling, students fear a rerun
On October 15, 1985, the roof of Dhaka University's residential Jagannath Hall collapsed. The tragedy claimed the lives of as many as 40 people, including 26 students and 14 guests. Since then, October 15 is observed as a day of mourning for the university, reports UNB.
But some 35 years on, nothing much has changed with regards to the safety of residential halls of Bangladesh's most prestigious university. At least eight such halls where thousands of students reside are in a ruinous condition. The walls are suffering from deep cracks and the plaster is flaking off.
Despite being dubbed unfit for human habitation by engineers, students claim the university authorities have almost turned a blind eye to the vexing issue. The risky dormitories are Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall, Surja Sen Hall, Salimullah Muslim Hall, Jagannath Hall, Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall, Sgt Jahurul Haque Hall, Shahidullah Hall and Mohsin Hall.
Students allege that there have been several cases of plaster collapse at these halls in recent years, but the university authorities are simply not bothered about their safety. They state the authorities just perform temporary repair work, leaving the structures again in a vulnerable state.
Salimullah Muslim Hall, for example, established in 1921, is becoming so dilapidated that students say the two-storey building could collapse such as a pack of cards at any time. However the authorities, students say, are "unmoved".
Noyon Ahmed, a resident student of the hall, said, “We reside here taking our lives inside our hands. Most of us have obtained minor injuries because of plaster collapses. We are left without other option but to remain on as we can not afford better places because of financial constraints."
Dhaka University's vice-chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman, however, said they have chalked out a masterplan to renovate the century-old university. "The program includes repairing old dormitories and constructing new ones. It is true a number of buildings are risky. But an initiative has been taken up to repair the decades-old buildings."
The masterplan includes developing infrastructure and technological facilities, improving accommodation arrangements, establishing a world-class library, modernising the fitness center and medical centre, and making the campus more green, UNB has learnt.
DU's acting chief engineer AKM Afzalul Haque also admitted that most of the dormitories are old, but said that the buildings would be repaired soon. "We will need all necessary measures to mitigate the risk of any untoward incident," he added.
