DU Correspondent :
In a remarkable display of solidarity, people from all walks of life have gathered at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University (DU) to support flood victims from the eastern part of the country.
This effort has been likened to a “real fairy tale,” as individuals of all ages and professions stood in long lines to donate money, goods, and vehicles for relief.
The scene at TSC has been extraordinary, with a continuous stream of donors contributing essential items and monetary support.
Unlike the usual long queues seen for receiving money, the TSC witnessed people forming lines from morning till night to offer help.
The campus has been transformed into a bustling hub of activity, with thousands of students and volunteers engaged in collecting, packaging, and managing the relief efforts.
Muhammad Mohiuddin, co-coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, reported that on Friday night alone, 25 trucks of relief items were sent to the TSC. He noted that the response from the public over the past two days has been unprecedented, with people donating according to their capacity.
For the third consecutive day, a diverse range of individuals-including day labourers, rickshaw pullers, government and private employees, businessmen, workers, students, and teachers-have been contributing necessary goods such as medicines, first aid items, dry food, bread, biscuits, clothes, sanitary napkins, water, life jackets, and monetary donations.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), have also contributed significantly by providing relief with their large trucks.
The collection effort began early on Saturday morning, with volunteers struggling to manage the large crowds of donors. Volunteers were busy receiving relief items, managing vehicle lines, and making announcements through a handheld microphone to ensure smooth operations.
Inside the TSC, the cafeteria and game room have been transformed into makeshift storehouses, filled to the brim with relief items. Volunteers are actively involved in organising and packaging these goods. The DUCSU cafeteria has also been packed with donated items, and hundreds of students are diligently preparing relief packets.
To ensure effective management, the volunteers have been organised into groups. Some are handling traffic, some are receiving money and relief goods, others are directing people, and some are involved in packaging.
Rokib Rana Masud, a volunteer at the collection booth, reported that by 7 PM on Saturday, a total of Tk 1,86,48,000 had been collected. He estimated that approximately Tk 2 crore would be collected from the booth alone by the end of the day.
On Friday, Tk 1,42,50,196 was collected through both the TSC booth and online banking, in addition to Tk 29,76,173 from other collections across university halls and departments. The number of people contributing on Saturday was reported to be double that of Friday.
Dhaka University students are also collecting funds at busy intersections across the capital and within residential halls. Additionally, students organised under area-based student organisations are actively fundraising to support the flood relief efforts.