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Friday | November 06, 2026 | Dhaka

DU campus now safe haven for addicts!

 New Nation
 Published: 12:00 AM, 06 March 2016

Abir Rayhan :
Dhaka University (DU) campus and its adjacent areas have turned into a safe haven for the drug traders and the addicts. It was alleged that neither the Dhaka University authorities nor the law enforcing agencies are taking any effective step in this regard.
All the drug items like Yaba, heroin, pethidine and ganja are now available in at least 20 spots on the campus. The drug items are available, especially in the evening.
The consumption of drug and the drug trading increased on the campus following restriction on entering the Suhrawardy Uddyan after sunset, as the Suhrawardy Uddyan was a safe drug zone. On August 27 in 2015, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and the DU authorities imposed a restriction to enter the Suhrawardy Uddyan following the incidents of attacks, snatching of valuables, increasing of drug use and sexual harassment of women.
The visitors and the University students feel embarrassed on the campus, particularly at TSC, Doel Chattar, Law Faculty area to Chankharpul, High Court gate to Amar Ekushey Hall area and Fuller Road to Plashey.
Sources said, the drug traders and their clients, mostly youngsters from different corners of the capital city, throng some points of the DU campus after sunset to take drug and most of them take drugs standing on open street there.
Hasan, a tea vendor on the campus, said that the drug addicts openly take pethidine through syringe near the gate of Shahidullah Hall and Fazlul Hoque Muslim Hall. Many of them have also built makeshift residence on footpath on the way to Amar Ekushey Hall from Curzon Hall to use drug.
Besides, newly-made footover bridge near Sufia Kamal Hall are now occupied by the drug addicted persons.
Nowrin Jahan, a 3rd year student of DU Sufia Kamal Hall, said that the footover bridge was built for the easy and lively walking by the university students on way to the Curzon Hall, but they cannot use it due to the drug addicts.
Abu Rakib, a 3rd year student of the Fazlul Haq Muslim Hall, said, “From 2nd floor of my dormitory where I live, anyone can easily see that the outsiders take drug openly on the street alongside the hall’s wall.”
Citing vulnerable condition of the campus, DU Bijoy Ekattor Hall 3rd year student Nayon Hawlader said, “Most of the time I have to go Chankharpul for dinner, but it is hard to believe that it is my campus, sometimes I feel that I am now walking by the railway line in the Kawran Bazar area.” Nazrul Islam, Security Guard of the Shahidullah Hall told The New Nation that they earlier tried to drive these addicts, but many times drug addicts attack them with blade or syringe.  
DU Acting Proctor Professor M Amzad Ali said that the proctorial body is on duty always and when they see someone they drive them. As Boi Mela ended some days ago, our team is working from the TSC to Bangla Academy and Central Play Ground to Chankarpul area to drive them, he added.  
Shahbagh Police Station Officer-In-Charge Abu Baker Siddique told The New Nation that the police every day arrest addicts and traders, but the addicted persons are so terrible that we cannot keep them with other criminals in custody. “We will increase number of forces soon to tackle the situation,” he said.