Tk2,840cr project okayed to address DU residential crisis
Thirty one new buildings, including a number of residential halls, will be built
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a Tk2,840 crore project to address the residential crisis at Dhaka University.
Under the project, six academic buildings, four residential halls for 2,600 female students, and five halls for 5,100 male students will be constructed. In addition, two residential buildings for teachers and officers, and five other administrative buildings will be built. The proposed project includes the construction of 31 new buildings in total.
The decision came during an ECNEC meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Following the meeting, Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud briefed reporters.
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The planning adviser noted that compared to the 1960s, students today enjoy significantly fewer facilities. Given this reality, the project is quite crucial. Once implemented, there will be no need for a second campus. He also said that the university's historic buildings will remain untouched, but smaller structures will be replaced by multi-storey buildings to avoid the need for additional land.
According to the project proposal, the number of students at Dhaka University has increased steadily since independence, but facilities have not expanded at the same pace. The university began its journey with 877 students and 600 acres of land. Now, the student population stands at around 40,000, while the land area has shrunk to 304 acres. Although the number of female students has increased proportionally each year, their residential facilities have not kept pace.
The DPP also states that to elevate Dhaka University to international standards, it is necessary to address academic and residential issues, ensure a safe campus, replace old and dilapidated buildings, and upgrade institutional and academic infrastructure to remain competitive in the modern digital age.
Currently, Dhaka University has about 43,400 students studying in 84 departments under 13 faculties and 13 institutes. It also houses 60 research bureaus and centres, 20 halls, and four hostels. Around 2,000 teachers and 2,000 officers along with 3,500 staff are serving the university.
