Second campus eludes Jagannath university for six years

Work on a second campus for Jagannath University has made little headway in the six years since it received the government's approval in 2016. The university needed expansion to successfully conduct its academic activities.  

The Education Ministry had also allocated Tk2,000 crore to implement the development work for the campus in Keraniganj, adjacent to the capital.

The development work was scheduled to finish in 2020, but the university authorities failed to complete it in time as they could not prepare a master plan.

According to sources, the then vice-chancellor of Jagannath University, Professor Mizanur Rahman. had prepared a master plan for the development work in 2018, but the current administration ignored his plan and opted to go for a new one.

In the previous master plan, there were 17 residential halls, a modern library, shopping complex, academic buildings, theatre, TSC, mosque, lake, gymnasium, residential buildings for the vice-chancellor and other teachers. 

Dr Mizanur Rahman told The Business Standard that during his time 200 acres of land were bought in 2018.

"I do not know why the work has gone on slowly. I prepared the land for the development work in 2018. So, a boundary wall, land development and lake digging should take a maximum of one year," he said.

"A master plan was set aside by the incumbent administration by showing some lapses. But the administration again gave the work to the same party. The development work can be completed within a short time if the master plan is on the table," Dr Mizanur Rahman said.

Shahadat Hossain, project director of the Jagannath University 2nd campus project, told TBS that work is going on to prepare the master plan.

"Hopefully we will get the final version of the master plan by next month. We will send it to the Education Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office for their assent. We will place the master plan at the university's syndicate meeting," he said.

Asked about the delay, he said, "We are building boundary walls now and 35% of the work has been completed. We faced some obstacles from local people, which caused the delay."

He also said, "We will soon invite tenders for architectural designs for the development work to be done perfectly. We will primarily accommodate 20,000 male and female students at the university residential halls," he said.

An official of the university, wishing anonymity, told TBS that the university is facing problems in developing land and building boundary walls as the university Chhatra League leaders and local influential persons tried to control the work.

Professor Dr Md Imdadul Hoque, vice-chancellor of the university, said, "No one can impede the development work of the university. We will start the work in full swing after getting the master plan," he said.

Jagannath University has 16,544 students and 680 teachers. But it has only one female residential hall where 1000 students are staying now. Other students face living arrangement ordeals in different parts of the capital due to the absence of residential facilities. 

Students place 10-point demand

Hundreds of students of Jagannath University on Sunday organised a human chain on the campus to publicise their 10-point demand, including bringing the project under the PM's Greater Development Scheme.

The students also vowed to continue their movement until the demands are met.

Other demands include completion of further construction work under the supervision of the army if necessary, arrest of upazila Chairman Shahin for interfering in campus work, immediate strengthening of the security system on the second campus and establishing a police station there and completion of the construction of residential halls to be done first.

Besides, they demanded proper investigation into any irregularity in the lake construction tender, survey confirmation of the completion of 200 acres of land, involving a student representative in the project or ensuring that all project information is accessible to students, and ensuring a setting up of water and electricity supplies quickly, and arranging all central programmes of the university at the new campus.