Improving JnU canteen's food quality

Jagannath University (JnU), one of the most reputed public universities in Dhaka city, has only one canteen for its 20,000 students. What is more worrying is the quality of food served. The food served here can in no way be called hygienic. The kitchen where these foods are prepared is also dirty and filthy. It hardly follows minimum hygienic standards. This area is found to be full with flies buzzing over the cooked foods. Low-quality and expired ingredients are used to cook food. Not enough hygiene is maintained while serving foods too. However, the university administration does not seem to care about the price or quality of these canteen foods. Students are forced to buy and eat these low-quality foods at a high price. Many students are now getting sick and suffering from stomach diseases after eating these foods.

Although the quality of foods is low, prices are increasing day by day. We have to spend an extra Tk 10 to Tk 15 per meal now as the food prices increased at the canteen. Evening snacks are also expensive. Our income has not increased. In such a situation, it is impossible for us to bear the increased food price. The university authorities run this canteen on leases under private ownership. The canteen owner keeps food prices high for making more profit. So, we urge the authorities concerned to pay more subsidies to keep food prices stable, if necessary.

Nazifa Tasnim

Mass Communication and Journalism

Jagannath University