Authorities at Dhaka University may open all residential dormitories for students, likely in the first week of March, after nearly a year of shutdown.
The provost committee of the university recommended reopening the residential halls for its final year and final semester students in undergraduate and postgraduate programs during a meeting on Tuesday.
The decision comes shortly after the Ministry of Education issued a notice for schools and colleges to take preparations for reopening any time after February 4.
All of the 18 hall provosts and pro-vice-chancellors made the recommendation at the meeting, chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman in chair.
DU Proctor Prof AKM Golam Rabbani, member secretary of the provost committee, confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune, saying the recommendation may be placed before the Academic Council of the university on January 31.
“Since the provosts recommended it, hopefully this will be passed by any decision-making body of the university, which will be determined by the VC,” Rabbani added.
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“Those who were staying legally at the halls before the closure [caused by the pandemic], and were the last year or final semester students in honours and masters programs, will be the only ones to get access to the halls after opening.”
On March 16, 2020, the DU authorities suspended all classes and examinations from March 18 till March 28, which extended several times in line with the decision of the Education Ministry aiming to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Other public universities and educational institutions were also shut down indefinitely.
In the meantime, they have conducted classes online to continue the academic sessions.
According to the 2019 Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) polls voter list, there were 42,000 students in the university, and almost 40% of them reside in the residential halls, along with many more students without authorization.
