Md Rayhanul Islam :
The students of Ziaur Rahman Hall of Dhaka University have fallen in deep trouble following closure of the Hall canteen.
The canteen was closed after a Hall leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) assaulted the canteen owner for not serving meals in his room.
Hall sources said that Gazi Hasib, joint-secretary of the hall unit of the BCL, beat manager of the hall canteen Shahbuddin severely on Friday noon as he refused to serve meals in the room of the BCL leader who ate meals on credit for months.
“We are struggling to meet illegal demands of a few Chhatra League leaders, whose unpaid dues have stood around Tk one lakh. They often misbehave with us if we ask them to pay the dues. Hall Provost ordered me to stop the bad practice and I acted accordingly,” he said.
Now 1500 residential students of the hall have fallen into trouble due to stoppage of meals at the canteen.
As a result, students are taking their meals outside the campus with higher prices and in unhygienic conditions.
Finding no second option, I went to Nilkhet to have my meal, said Rakib Hossain, a resident of Ziaur Rahman Hall.
Earlier, the quality of food at the canteen was deteriorating day by day, students alleged.
When contacted, Ziaur Rahman, Provost of the hall said, stern action would be taken against those who were involved with this incident after investigation.
He also said, he would hold meeting with general students, BCL leaders and hall dining authorities regarding the matter and hope to solve the problem quickly.
Asked about the allegation of huge unpaid dues of BCL leaders, BCL DU unit President Abid al Hasan said, ‘We will take stern action against those who took meals on credit but did not repay.
