Development, just reactive

Most parts of Dhaka city have been plagued by what are called development works. Every day, commuters suffering in tailback express their anger while talking to each other, cursing the authorities. The Dhaka University is also affected. Its students are afraid that the campus, located in central part of the city, may turn into messy areas like Gulistan for excessive infrastructures all around once these projects are implemented. The authorities come up with an initiative once there is an issue and accordingly, hundreds of projects are undertaken.

We are shocked to see the absence of enlightened citizens who could have played a role in addressing social problems. The DU students, too, have some responsibility for rendering social services, apart from academic pursuit. For that, the campus must be kept clean and made congenial for learning. As we know, Dhaka Cantonment, which has its own cleaners alongside the city corporations', has made the area neat and clean. The DU has its own cleaners but the authorities hardly bother about cleanliness. The campus houses at least 20 organisations based on co-curricular activities. Around 60 district-based student associations are also active on the campus. It is getting crowded and unclean when too many development projects cram it. Nobody takes any initiative to bring changes. Like the government's development initiative as part of the trend or in response to an issue, students and others are making their reactions known only to acquaintances and at best sharing them on the social media networks.

Muhammd Mustafiz

Mass Communication and Journalism

University of Dhaka