Chittagong University steps into 58th year: Crisis and expectations

Emran Emon :

The University of Chittagong officially started its journey on November 18, 1966 and it is by far the largest university campus in the country-which is surrounded with 2300 acres of large hilly and flat land.

Founded five years before the Great Liberation War, Chittagong University played an effective role in various movements of the country including the mass uprising of 1969, the struggle for independence of Bangladesh.

Later, the university played a significant role in the anti-authoritarian movement of the 1990s.
On March 26, 1971 Pakistani forces occupied the university campus, and used it as a base for nine consecutive months.

The Pakistani army set up their concentration camp here. Later, at the end of the war, the freedom fighters led by Zafar Imam raided the university on 14 December 1971, and on 16 December, nine days after the surrender of the Pakistani army in Dhaka, Chittagong University was liberated from Pakistani control on 25 December.

In 1971, a university teacher, 12 students and three officials were killed in the Bangladesh War of Independence. Mohammad Hossain, an employee of the university’s Engineering Department, was given the title of Bir Pratik for his heroism in the war of liberation.

In order to preserve this history, a memorial has been erected at Zero Point premises at the entrance of the university in 2009 to commemorate the victims of the liberation war.

In the long 57 years since the establishment of Chittagong University in 1966, many intellectuals, scholars and national heroes have been created from the university.

The renowned physicist Professor Dr. Jamal Nazrul Islam, Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Social Scientist Professor Dr. Anupam Sen, Professor Dr. Anisuzzaman, Professor Abul Fazal, Alauddin Al Azad, Syed Ali Ahsan, Murtaza Bashir, Dhali Al Mamun, Partha Barua, former UGC Chairman Abdul Mannan and many other eminent scholars have spread the light of knowledge from this university.

The students are not backward either. Sajid Ali Hawlader, a former student of the university, has been recognized as the youngest scientist by discovering a new species of frog.

Shakhawat Hasan, a student of Computer Science and Engineering Department and his team’s name and fame have spread across the world.

Emran Emon, a student of the English Department of this university, has received national and international recognition for his writing. Besides, CU students have served in various fields including Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, former cabinet secretary, 11 secretaries of different ministries and 30 additional secretaries.

In Covid-19 pandemic situation, Professor Dr. Robiul Hasan Bhuiyan, a teacher at the University of Chittagong, has come up with the idea of ‘plasma therapy’ for the treatment of Covid-19.

Later, this concept played an effective role in the country and abroad in treatment of Covid-19. Established five years before the independence of the country, this university has witnessed the history of Golden Jubilee in 2016.

Despite being one of the most important institutions of higher education sector in the country, there are still session jam in many departments, faculties and institutes at Chittagong University. And this session jam is a terrible curse for the students.

Except for a handful of departments, the other departments have no initiative to fill the time that was lost due to Covid-19 pandemic situation as session jam. But other universities have taken initiatives to compensate for that loss.

In spite of being one of the important institutions of higher education in the country and one of the four fully autonomous universities, Chittagong University does not have TSC (Teachers-Students Center).

However, TSC plays an effective role in developing friendly environment between teachers and students.

TSC also plays a significant role in advancing research, to develop the trend of free thinking. Because of this, Chittagong University is relatively behind other universities in cultural activities.

There is no end to students’ complaints about the notorious act of the central library of Chittagong University. But this library is one of the richest libraries in the country.

But here students have to be harassed to enter and take library facilities. The students have protested at various times and given written complaints to the authorities. University authorities should pay special attention in this regard.

Research is the lifeblood of the university. According to recent statistics, Chittagong University lags far behind other universities in research works.

University authority needed to involve students in research and increase allocations for research.

Shuttle train is the vitalization of Chittagong University. Partha Barua and SI Tutul were created from here by beating this shuttle.

But there is a bogie crisis in the shuttle in proportion to the number of students, there is a lack of healthy environment.

It can be seen that even if there is a fan inside the shuttle, the fan does not turn on, the lights do not turn on, there is no toilet system inside the shuttle.

Moreover, even after so many years, the number of bogie in the shuttle train has not increased. But the number of students has increased. And in this situation, the students have to suffer a lot.

Recently, some students of the university faced a tragic accident after not getting a seat inside the shuttle train, they climbed onto the roof of the train and fell from there.

There is no footover bridge for crossing the road at the main gate of Chittagong University which is known as 01 number gate.

Many tragic road accidents have been occurred in this place while crossing the road. A few months ago, such a road accident happened. A teacher of the university died in this place.

There is no alternative to build up a footover bridge here to avoid unintentional tragic road accidents. Moreover, most of the students of this university are hostages to the local villagers.

Local homeowners, CNG drivers, rickshaw pullers, shopkeepers are arbitrarily fixing rent, and food prices as they wish.

But everything around the public university should be within the reach of the students at affordable price-which is determined by the university authority.

It is seemed that there is no one to see the suffering of the students! As a result, the suffering of the students is going on.

Convocation is a very important event for a university. This program is very emotional and prestigious for the students.

But the saddest thing is that Chittagong University has had only 4 convocation ceremonies in 57 years! Why is Chittagong University so behind in this case? Why is the vice-chancellor failing to hold the convocation ceremony despite repeated promises?

Recently, a statistic showed that the number of students enrolling in Chittagong University is decreasing day by day. Students are not taking the exam despite applying for the exam.

Even though repeatedly called for admission, the seat remains vacant, students are not available for admission.

This is easy to imagine why this is occurring! It is now a big challenge for the university authorities to enter the students to the university.

This is the expectation that the university administration will take effective steps to solve the ongoing problems and crises.

Especially, it is our expectation to the first woman and the current vice-chancellor of the university Professor Dr. Shireen Akhter that she will play an effective role in the overall development of the university-to solve the ongoing problems and crises.

As a student of Chittagong University I feel proud and I wish the prosperity of Chittagong University. Happy 58th University Day!

The writer is a researcher and journalist.