"Guestroom Culture" must not return to public university dorms

The 'guestroom culture' that was introduced in the residential halls of public universities during the previous Awami League government has reportedly been eliminated after the fall of the government. This news is undoubtedly a source of joy and hope. Under this inhumane 'guestroom culture,' members of the Chhatra League would call students to the guest rooms in the name of teaching them 'manners,' only to subject them to physical and mental abuse. Moreover, they also controlled the campus food stalls, canteens, and engaged in seat trading and extortion. Following the 'July Revolution' led by students and citizens, a wave of change has swept across the state machinery, and this change is also affecting the dormitories of public universities across the country.

According to news reports on Thursday (February 13), it has been revealed that after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, the accommodation crisis in various public universities has significantly decreased. Reports from nine universities, including Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University, show that this positive change has occurred. Administrations in all of these campuses have been reshuffled.

According to the information received, during the rule of the Awami League, the administration of Dhaka University's residential halls was ineffective. The Chhatra League fully controlled 13 of the student halls. The leaders of Chhatra League decided who would stay in which room. Students were forced to attend Chhatra League's programs. First-year students, in particular, had the most miserable experience. They had to stay packed in common rooms in the halls, participate in Chhatra League's programs, and also suffer abuse in the 'guest rooms.' They were compelled to follow the orders of Chhatra League’s 'big brothers' in every action. Moreover, due to Chhatra League's extortion in the canteens of the halls, students were forced to eat substandard food. Before the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, the Chhatra League had been expelled from the campus on the night of July 16 last year. Since the arrival of the new administration, the situation at Dhaka University has changed considerably. The political common rooms in the halls no longer exist, and the abuse in 'guest rooms' has stopped. Seats in the halls are now allocated based on merit and necessity under administrative supervision.

University students have said that they used to live in a state of constant fear in the past. However, that environment of fear no longer exists. We also want the university to remain free of fear. No student should be dominated under the influence of any political party. No ruling government should be able to extend its power into university campuses. It is common in Bangladesh for any government that comes to power to try to control the university halls. Over the years, violence, clashes, and even deaths have occurred frequently at these universities. Ordinary students have always wanted a peaceful environment for studying at the universities. This is our demand as well. People with good sense across the country will certainly agree with this demand. So, why must universities be repeatedly subjected to the machinery of political power? It is evident that the quality of education at our public universities has been severely impacted by such influences. Many parents were afraid to enroll their talented children in public universities because of the fear of Chhatra League's violence. We hope that this harmful culture and vicious cycle will come to an end once and for all.