Hasan Mahmud :
The Bangladesh Bank authorities have not yet shifted their Sadarghat Branch from the campus of he Jagannath University (JnU) in the old part of the Dhaka city despite repeated calls and students’ agitation, particularly in the recent time.
The Jagannath University (JnU) is the largest university in terms of its population but the smallest in respect of its area among all public universities in the country.
The Sadarghat Branch of the Bangladesh Bank occupies 44pc of the campus’ total area, hampering the
academic activities and sports’ events. Besides, the flames of old, mutilated and soiled notes’ burning are threat to health and environment.
The authority of JnU has been trying to eliminate the central bank’s branch but of no avail. The university sources said, Jagannath College became a university by an open declaration given by the then prime minister on the campus on November 2 in 1995. At that time, upon request of the teachers and the students, she assured that bank would be shifted from the campus. But sadly even after 19 years, it is still there.
JnU authority held a discussion last month with the bank authority to shift the building when the students roared once again to retrieve their land from the bank.
While contacted, an administrator of the bank, requesting anonymity, stated, “We would transfer the bank building if we get government order”.
From the very outset of the university (2005), many ministers, including the education minister, of present government came to the campus and assured the students as well as the teachers transfering the bank as soon as possible.
On the other hand, although the bank authorities said that they would stop burning old and damaged notes during the class time, they could not honour their own pledge.
Dr. Mita Shobnom, Medical Officer of JnU medical centre said, “Carcinogenic gas is harmful to human health. It emerges from burning soiled notes. It perhaps causes lung cancer”.
JnU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mizanoor Rahman said, “We have sent many letters to the government, demanding shifting of Bangladesh Bank (Sadarghat Branch) but to no purpose till present”.
