Construction resumes at BRUR student hall and Research Institute
BRUR Correspondent :
After a long pause, construction has resumed on the proposed 10-story Begum Khaleda Zia Student Hall and Research Institute at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR).
The formal inauguration of the resumed work took place on Thursday at noon, led by the university Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Shawkat Ali.
During the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor stated that after overcoming long delays and numerous complications, the university’s infrastructure development work has restarted.
He expressed optimism that the student hall and research institute buildings will soon be made ready for use.
Also present were Proctor and Registrar (additional charge) Professor Dr. Md. Ferdous Rahman, Director of the Finance and Accounts Department Professor Dr. Md. Shahjaman, Director of the Transport Pool Md. Masud Rana, along with faculty members, students, and university staff.
The resumption of construction has brought relief among students and stakeholders.
They expect that once the work is completed quickly, the infrastructure shortage will be resolved.
According to university sources, to boost research activities and address student accommodation shortages, on 4 January 2017, then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the construction of three development projects.
Later, changes in project designs and consulting firms, along with rising construction costs and new budget requests, led to allegations of corruption. In response, the University Grants Commission (UGC) suspended the construction work.
The suspension disrupted university research activities and worsened student housing shortages.
Sources further stated that during the tenure of Vice-Chancellor Dr. A K M Noor-un-Nobi, the projects were progressing rapidly. By that time, construction of Sheikh Hasina Hall and Dr. Wazed Research and Training Institute had reached the fifth floor, and nearly 90pc of the Independence Monument was completed.
However, under the subsequent Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, the designs and consulting firms for the two buildings were changed, proposing to triple construction costs. This raised the construction cost of Dr. Wazed Research Institute from BDT 26.87 crore to BDT 60.99 crore, Sheikh Hasina Hall from BDT 51.35 crore to BDT 106.93 crore, and the Independence Monument from BDT 1.30 crore to BDT 4.30 crore.
Following corruption allegations, the Ministry of Education halted construction in December 2019 and instructed the UGC to investigate. Upon verification of the allegations, the projects were suspended, leaving these three mega projects in uncertainty for a long time. During this period, no significant initiatives were taken by the previous administration to restart the projects.
Meanwhile, former Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah has recently been arrested over the corruption allegations and is currently in prison.