Safety Crisis at JnU Students attend exams wearing helmets
At Jagannath University (JnU), serious safety concerns have emerged among students after chunks of plaster fell from the ceiling of the Mathematics Department building, injuring two students.
On Thursday, many students attended classes and exams wearing helmets out of fear while using the risky building. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, when plaster suddenly fell from the ceiling of a seminar room during a class.
Two students from the 2024-25 academic session Tanvir Niaz Fahim and Mahfuzur Rahman Mitul were injured, reports media.
Following the incident, panic spread among students. They alleged that several academic buildings at the university have long been unsafe, with occasional incidents of falling plaster. A similar incident had previously occurred in a teachers’ room of the Mathematics Department. Students said that despite many classrooms being unfit for use, classes are still being conducted there due to a lack of alternatives.
They also demanded the ????? implementation of the university’s second campus project in Keraniganj.
Due to safety concerns, students from the 2022-23 session of the Mathematics Department have started attending classes and exams wearing helmets. A student named Naeem said, “There’s no way to predict when plaster might fall on someone’s head. So we are forced to wear helmets.”
Another student, Nayan, said, “Two of my junior brothers were injured yesterday, yet the administration has not taken any action. Classes and exams are still ongoing. We feel unsafe sitting in such risky classrooms, so I came to take my exam wearing a helmet.”
Meanwhile, leaders of the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JUKSU) strongly criticized the university administration in a statement. They alleged long-standing negligence regarding unsafe buildings and warned of major accidents if immediate renovations are not carried out.
In response, the university’s Chief Engineer Helal Uddin Patwari said that decisions had already been made to identify and repair risky areas.
The process of allocating funds for major work is underway. He noted that cracks in the main ceiling were not visible earlier due to false ceilings, which are now being removed. Renovation plans and cost estimates for the Science Building have also been prepared.
