A group of female students of Dhaka University (DU) have demanded round-the-clock access to women's residential halls and the establishment of what they described as their legitimate rights.
Under the banner of “Boishomyahin Nari Hall Chai" (We Want Discrimination-free Women's Halls), they submitted a memorandum to DU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr ABM Obaidul Islam on Monday in this regard.
Several female leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) DU unit, along with DU Central Students' Union (DUCSU) Research Secretary Sanjida Ahmed Tonni and its member Hema Chakma, were present during the memorandum submission.
Earlier in the day, from 10:00am, the students gathered on the university's Central Library premises to collect opinions, personal experiences and signatures in support of their campaign before presenting the memorandum to the VC.
In the memorandum, the students placed three key demands, including abolishing the existing evening “curfew” and keeping all women's residential halls open 24 hours, allowing regular DU female students to enter any women's hall with a valid university identity card and stay overnight with prior permission, and permitting female family members to accompany students up to their hall rooms.
Explaining the rationale behind their demands, the platform said female students often need to enter or leave their halls at any time due to academic activities, research, medical emergencies, organisational responsibilities, family needs or other personal emergencies.
It stressed that the demand is not merely for an extension of “curfew” hours, but for the introduction of a regulated, secure and systematic 24-hour entry and exit system in all women's residential halls.
The students expressed hope that the university administration will give due consideration to their demands and take prompt measures to adopt a positive decision on the issue.
Under the current rules, only resident students are allowed to enter DU female residential halls. Even female students who are attached to a hall but do not reside there are generally not permitted entry.
In addition, the hall gates are normally closed around 10:00pm. Students who need to enter the hall after the designated closing time must obtain prior authorisation from the hall authorities.