Jagannath University (JnU), a reputed institution located in Old Dhaka, continues to suffer from chronic mismanagement and a lack of basic infrastructure even after 19 years since gaining university status. Each day, around 18,000 students are affected by inadequate housing, transport, canteen services, laboratory and library resources, and medical facilities.
The most pressing issue is the acute housing crisis. Due to a shortage of student dormitories, the majority are compelled to live in substandard and overpriced accommodations in the surrounding area. Despite JnU becoming a university in 2005, most of its 11 student halls remain under illegal occupation. Only two are currently habitable, and the university administration appears to have made little meaningful effort to reclaim the rest. The only functional hall for female students-Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, inaugurated in 2022-also faces numerous difficulties, including an insufficient number of seats, poor-quality food sold at high prices, lack of clean drinking water, broken washroom facilities, and non-functioning gas supply in the kitchen for nearly a month.
The transportation system is equally inadequate. The university does not provide enough buses for commuting students, and severe traffic congestion near the main gate further worsens the problem. Moreover, canteen services, laboratories, libraries, and the medical centre fall well below acceptable standards. The campus is overcrowded with parked private cars and motorcycles, creating an unsafe and chaotic environment.
The condition of the university medical centre is particularly worrying. Students frequently report poor service and unavailability of essential medical resources. The medical team claims to have made repeated requests for more equipment, skilled personnel and an increased budget but to no avail. Alarmingly, in an age of digital transformation, Jagannath University continues to publish examination results manually on notice boards, leading to unnecessary delays and frustration among students.
After nearly two decades, it is disheartening that students of the JnU are still deprived of basic rights and facilities. To ensure a supportive, modern, and student-friendly academic environment, the university administration must act without delay. Visible, effective steps are urgently needed to improve conditions and secure a better future for the student body.
Mst. Mishkatul Islam Mumu, Student
Department of Mass Communication and Journalism
Jagannath University
mishkatislam102@gmail.com
