Hostel accommodation for single women in the Dhaka city may face a severe crisis in the post-lockdown period as most of them have been forced to shut down during the coronavirus pandemic, reports UNB.
Talking to many owners and managers who run such hostels in the city, it was learned that they are now mostly confused as to how to return to the business.
Working women, applicants for different jobs, private university students who come from outside the city usually live in such city hostels due to the huge crisis of accommodation at the government level. The number of private hostels for single working women in the city has grown as the number of government hostels proved inadequate to accommodate them. These hostels were the last resort for single, working women or students from outside Dhaka city looking to live in a secured and safe environment.
TamannaTamim, a student at a private university who left Dhaka during the closure of educational institutions brought on by the pandemic, said how it is proving difficult for her to find a new place now that she is looking to return, in anticipation of her classes resuming. But her old hostel has gone out of business.
The ones that are available meanwhile, have raised their rent and other charges, she said.
President of Hostel Owners Association of Bangladesh Asaduzzaman said they are trying to return to business, but it will not be possible for many hostels to do so.
He said there are more than a thousand hostels around the city. But he expects half of these hostels to shut down.
Many have already closed as they were really in crisis due to Covid -19. He also sought support from the government to reopen their hostel.
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