Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2023 has doubled the festive mood and joy among the students and the people who came to celebrate Pahela Falgun or Valentine's Day or both at the Dhaka University campus area on Tuesday. Since the morning students, people from different professions and irrespective of colour, creed or religion started gathering in the Dhaka University area wearing colourful Panjabi and Shari as the area has traditionally been a venue for Pahela Falgun and Valentine's Day celebration, while Boi Mela takes place at nearby Bangla Academy every year.  Besides the huge arrangements of Bosonto Utsab Udzapon committee at the Bakultola of Fine Arts faculty of Dhaka University, several programs have been arranged in Dhaka University area like ‘Somogit Bosonto Utsob' at the historical BotTola of Dhaka, three-day cultural festival at the department of political science and Sangit Utsab at the faculty of Business Studies of Dhaka University to welcome Spring, the king of all season.  Marking the special day, various floating stalls of flowers and food almost everywhere in the campus area have been set to meet the demands of visitors. Lower markets are busy stocking red roses for the day. Abid, an eleven-year-old boy who is selling flowers and floral bands walking around busy areas of campus, said that he came in this area from Mouchak of the capital in the morning to sell flowers hoping for better profit.  “My mother sent me here to sell flowers as many people from different area came here to observe the day and they buy flowers from us. From the morning I have bagged around 800 taka,” he said. Besides, flower sellers are also waiting to celebrate the day with massive stocks of roses and bouquets for people who are eagerly waiting to celebrate the day with their loved ones. The flower shops at the Shahabag crossing were seen very busy and filled with the traffic of customers.  

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders and activists of Dhaka University unit beat up some Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists when they attempted to enter the campus around 10 am this morning. The incident took place in front of Sir AF Rahman Hall. Later, the JCD activists were handed over to the Shahbagh police station on “suspicion of sabotage”. Riazul Islam, President of Sir AF Rahman Hall Chhatra League unit, said, “After checking their mobile phones, we were confirmed that they were JCD activists, and we handed them over to the police.” Read more: BNP activists, locals complain of internet service disruption in and around Golapbagh rally venue

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal(JCD) will have to repent first for their previously made insolent comment on PM Sheikh Hasina and attempting to enter the Dhaka University campus, said Al Nahiyan khan Joy, president of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) central panel "If they(JCD) do not repent, they can't enter DU campus and general students will strongly prevent them," he said at a rally held on Sunday at DU campus in protest of JCD attacks in the campus on May 24 and 26. Also read: JCD leader sues 33 BCL men for 'attempted murder' BCL activists from residential halls of DU,  Dhaka College, Eden College ,  Badrunnesa College , Home Economics College along with BCL units of other educational institutes joined the protest rally. Mentioning corruption of BNP and JCD,  Al Nahiyan Khan joy said, "They polluted the students politics of this country. BNP made Bangladesh a champion in corruption and handed arms to the students." "Many JCD activists are admitted at the hospital though they were not hurt following the order of BNP leader Tarique Rahman. Even Bangladesh Chhatra Shibir president was seen visiting hospitals consoling with JCD in this incident," he added. "General secretary of the Chhatra Dal and the leaders of the Swechchasebak Dal violated the limits of audacity in their speeches in front of the press club and in DU campus saying that they want '1975' once again and they will roar for it if needed. This statement justifies the killing of Sheikh Mujib and proves the involvement of Zia in the killing,” said Lekhak Bhatyeecharjee, general secretary of BCL. Also read:Tension mounts as BCL, JCD clash at DU “They are trying to establish murder politics in Bangladesh.  Bangladesh Chhatra League will strongly suppress every one of such attempts," he added.

The century-old Dhaka University has plenty of problems: shortage of dormitory rooms for students, houses for teachers, poor water supply and waste management. Add to the list the parking woes. Cars, motorcycles and cycles, parked on the road in front of the Arts Building and around it, are a common scenario. For lack of officially designated spaces many are forced to park their vehicles haphazardly. "Usually, the university administration does not permit us to park here but exceptions are made in case of special guests and visitors," car driver Abu Hanif, who parked his car in front of Arts Building, said. Also read: All DU students to get smart ID cards by next February, say authorities Asked about car parking at Shadow, a corridor beside Arts Building where a space is allotted for parking, Abu Hanif said the space is too small to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles. Another driver, Saiff Kader said, "It is a suitable space for us to park here. But the university administration does not allow us to stay here for long." "Sometimes they file complaints too", he added.

The Teacher-Student Centre, popularly known as TSC on the Dhaka University (DU) campus, was established in 1961. It is set to be renovated keeping its old structure as part of the university’s birth centenary celebrations in 2021. The University authority primarily approved the new design provided by The Public Works Department (PWD) of the government but the construction work will start after Prime Minister’s approval. Before that, PWD proposed to rebuild TSC entirely, which sparked debate and anger among students, teachers and alumni. Later, the authorities instructed PWD to form a new design keeping its old structure. After several meetings, both stakeholders signed off on the new design. Also read: TSC reconstruction: DU authorities seek opinion from teachers, students Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 2 last year said a plan to modernize Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), TSC and Shahbagh’s Public Library. "Dhaka University is our university and we want to build TSC in a modern way," said the PM on that day. She also said that she had already directed the authorities concerned to prepare its design in a proper manner. What will the new TSC complex look like? According to the new draft design, TSC’s present structure will not be demolished. A 10-storied new building will be constructed where the swimming pool is now located.    “The new facility will be built and incorporated with the existing structure. It will include rehearsal rooms for cultural activities, rooms with modern facilities for TSC-based socio-cultural groups, indoor games room, separate cafeteria, two auditorium, gymnasium, teachers’ lounge, two basements for vehicle parking, and more,” said Acting Director Syed Ali Akbar. Read 5-storey building tilts in Chattogram: Residents evacuated He said the entrance of the new building would be from the west of TSC. The construction work will be started from the back where now the swimming pool is situated. “Our engineering section is not involved with the designing or construction work, moreover the PWD will do as per the prime minister’s instruction,” he continued.  Mir Manzurur Rahman, Chief Architect, Department of Architecture, Ministry of Housing and Public Works, said, “We did a draft design following DU’s requisition. We cover almost all of the requisition including two auditoriums, a lecture theater, a gymnasium and some office space and others. We insert these requisitions into 10 storied building and Dhaka University is happy with our design.” “Old existing structures will not be rebuilt. We will just renovate existing structures as per necessity,” he added. The TSC director provided a requisition list to the university's engineering department, which was subsequently submitted to PWD on October 18 last year by the DU authorities. The acting chief engineer of DU Abul Kalam Sikder said, “PWD will provide the new design to the prime minister and if she approves the design, they will start construction work." DU pro vice-chancellor (administration) Prof Muhammad Samad said, “This design is acceptable. It will be handed over to prime minister though PWD and final work will start if the PM approves the design.” Prof Samad hoped that construction work would begin soon under the direct concern of the prime minister. Also read: Bangabandhu’s historic photo kept at TSC Mohiuddin Mahi, a third-year student of Mass Communication and Journalism said, TSC is the social and cultural hub of our campus which was built when the varsity had a small number of students. “However, it has never been reconstructed again although the number of students and teachers has been increasing every year. So, this is a great initiative indeed but the authorities have to be sincere enough so that none of its tradition or aesthetic beauties get destroyed,” he added.  Echoing Mahi, Salman Siddique, president of Socialist students’ front said, "Yes, there is a need to improve some aspects of TSC. We do not oppose modernization of TSC either. But authority have to be more sincere so that none of tradition and beauties get destroyed.” But there are lots of problems including accommodation crisis authority should pay heed first, he said. Read Construction work on Dhaka airport’s new terminal likely to begin in Dec  TSC at a glimpse The TSC is an invaluable part of Bangladesh’s cultural heritage and among the modern architectural landmarks of the country.  The Greek legendary architect, planner and theoretician Constantinos Apostolos Doxiadis (1913-1975) designed TSC during the early 1960s and later the TSC building was built as part of the so-called Decade of Development (between 1958 and 1968) of the then Pakistani regime. The structure exemplifies a modernist architectural sensitivity toward spatial needs for tropical climatic conditions. It blends local parameters of space-making -- particularly the indoor-outdoor continuum and generation of space around courtyards -- with international-style visual expression of building forms. TSC's dome-shaped structure is considered an iconic landmark in Dhaka city. It has been home to countless students who show up between or after classes for a cup of tea with friends, and holds immense nostalgic value for them on top of being a historically significant site. There were several attempts to renovate the structure earlier, but they were stopped subsequently. One of them was to demolish the swimming pool next to the TSC and build a nine-storey building. The initiative of renovation by keeping the original structure intact, however, did not see the light of day. Read PM orders proper renovation of shabby rail bridges

A crude bomb exploded near the Madhur Canteen on Dhaka University campus on Monday morning.

A live crude bomb was recovered from near Madhur Canteen on the Dhaka University campus on Thursday.