Residential and non-residential female students at Dhaka University are feeling "unsafe" on campus due to vagrants and homeless individuals, and have faced various unpleasant incidents. The university administration has decided to increase patrols on campus, starting Thursday until the election.
Students from four of Dhaka University's five female halls, as well as some non-residential students, confirmed to Dhaka Tribune that they feel "unsafe" due to vagrants on campus and that the number of vagrants has increased recently. Assistant Proctor Rafiqul Islam confirmed the university's decision to Dhaka Tribune.
According to female students, the vagrant problem is most severe around Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall and near the metro rail station at TSC. It is notable that Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall is located considerably farther from the other halls, while Kuwait Maitri Hall and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Hall are located outside the main campus, past Nilkhet.
According to the university administration, the main reasons for this problem increasing recently are examinations of other public universities held on Dhaka University campus over the past two to three weeks, various winter fairs held at TSC (Teacher-Student Centre), and the upcoming National Parliament elections scheduled for February 12.
Residential female students voice safety fears
A residential student of Sufia Kamal Hall from the Sociology department Ushasi Biswas told Dhaka Tribune that feeling "unsafe" due to vagrants is a daily occurrence. "In my first year at university, I once walked through the foot overbridge next to my hall, but seeing the number of homeless people lying there in an intoxicated state, I never crossed the road through there again in my life."
She also shared her roommate's experience of being harassed by a vagrant a few days ago. However, her roommate felt so "uncomfortable" about the incident that she refused to speak with the media.
Anika Tahsin Hafsa, a residential student of Ruqayyah Hall from the English department, told Dhaka Tribune: "The number of vagrants on campus is higher than before. More vagrant people are seen around the hall, on campus, and near the metro station, especially at night or in the evening."
When asked if she had any bad experiences, she said: "A middle-aged mentally unstable person once followed me. It was quite an unpleasant situation."
"Some middle-aged mentally unstable people stay on the road from Shahbagh to TSC. I feel somewhat unsafe because of them and feel a bit scared to come alone through that road at night. But more than feeling unsafe, what hurts is seeing vagrant teenage girls on the streets. Girls need a lot of care at this age. It's frightening to think what injustices teenage girls on the streets might face."
Sharin Islam Toshi, a residential student of Ruqayyah Hall from the Criminology department, told Dhaka Tribune that vagrant people are often seen lying in front of her hall.
"I haven't been harassed by them so far, but I feel quite unsafe. The most uncomfortable thing is that they stare at girls all the time."
Prapti Pia Shikder, a residential student of Kuwait Maitri Hall from the World Religions and Culture department, told that the number of vagrants on campus has increased from before. "Although I haven't been harassed myself, I've seen people around me being harassed. And I feel quite unsafe."
Razia Sultana Rumi, a residential student of Shamsunnahar Hall from the Persian department, told that she has seen fewer vagrants recently, but this number increases on days when political parties hold rallies or when anyone holds rallies in areas around the university, including Shahbagh. "I myself haven't been harassed much. But such incidents often happen with many classmates and other students of the hall in the campus area."
She also said she feels unsafe due to vagrants. "Because of vagrants, there is feces, urine, and intoxicating substances on the roads of the hall and academic areas. This makes me feel uncomfortable and unsafe."
Non-residential female students feel at risk
It's not only residential female students who face this problem; non-residential female students also feel unsafe.
Nafisa Nuzhat, a non-residential student from the Mass Communication and Journalism department, told that there isn't much difference in the number of vagrants compared to before. "I haven't faced any unpleasant situation yet, but I feel quite unsafe."
Surovi Malakar, a former residential student of Ruqayyah Hall from the Computer Science and Engineering department (who currently doesn't stay in the hall), told that although the number of vagrants is somewhat less than before, there is still quite a large number of vagrants on campus, especially their numbers increase during events. She also said that while she hasn't been harassed by vagrants, she has been verbally harassed by rickshaw pullers. "I feel 'unsafe' whenever there are more outsiders on campus."
University administration’s stance and actions
On Wednesday, a meeting of the proctorial team regarding overall campus matters was held at the Dhaka University Proctor's Office at 6pm, chaired by Proctor Professor Saifuddin Ahmed. Eight decisions were made at that meeting to strengthen campus security.
As part of "strengthening security" on campus, decisions were made to increase "proctorial team patrols", for the proctorial team to go out on patrol in groups every other day from 8:30pm from Thursday to February 5, 2026, for the proctorial team to go out daily from 8:30pm from February 6, 2026 to February 9, 2026, o oversee the overall security situation, and for all assistant proctors to be present at the proctor's office in rotation from February 5-13.
Alongside the above decisions, decisions were also made for hall provosts to strengthen overall hall security and for security personnel to remain alert, for the Estate Office to strengthen overall campus security, for the ICT Cell to ensure that campus cameras are operational, and for hall provosts to ensure that no outsiders are staying in the halls.
Dhaka University Assistant Proctor Rafiqul Islam confirmed the above information to Dhaka Tribune. He said: "Due to examinations of some public universities, there is a bit of 'rapid rush' on campus, and again some fairs are going on for winter, which is causing some inconvenience and there is a lot of involvement of boys and girls."
"Another problem is that some development work at TSC has not been completed, which is also causing some trouble. And with the election ahead, we are not being as tight as we should be, because various classes and professions of people are entering. We will seriously take steps regarding such mentally unstable people and vagrants."
