Reforms and Persistent Challenges at Rajshahi University

In the aftermath of the 2024 political transition in Bangladesh, Rajshahi University (RU) has undergone significant changes in campus governance and residential discipline. While the era of student harassment, seat-trading, and forced political participation has largely concluded, students argue that substantive reforms in healthcare, dining, and administrative digitisation remain pending.

Residential Discipline and Housing Infrastructure

Prior to the August 5 transition, residential halls were dominated by the now-banned Bangladesh Chhatra League. “Political blocks” were common, and securing a room without partisan recommendation was nearly impossible. Following the uprising, a joint operation by the administration and law enforcement cleared halls of illegal occupants and weapons. Consequently, seats are now being allocated based on merit.

Despite improved discipline, a severe housing crisis persists. Only 32% of the university’s 30,000 students have access to on-campus accommodation. To address this, two major halls are currently under construction.

Current Residential Hall Capacity and Development:

Dining Standards and Rising Costs

Food quality in residential dining halls remains a primary source of dissatisfaction. Despite price hikes aimed at improving meals—the cost of a lunch coupon rose from 24 BDT to 30 BDT, and dinner from 18 BDT to 25 BDT—students report no improvement in nutritional value.

Sabur Ali, a long-serving employee at Madar Bux Hall, noted that before the pandemic, one kilogram of chicken was typically divided into 15–18 pieces. Just before the uprising, this increased to 25 pieces, and currently stands at 18–20 pieces. Students complain that while prices have risen, the size of fish and meat portions remains inadequate, and the diet consists largely of thick rice and watery lentils.

The Healthcare “Napa Centre” Controversy

The university medical centre is pejoratively dubbed the “Napa Centre” by students, who claim it provides little more than basic paracetamol for various ailments before referring patients to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RAMC).

In response to student demands, Chief Physician Mafruha Siddika Lipi stated that the centre now operates on Saturdays. Recent improvements include the revival of ECG services, the addition of an ESR analyser in pathology, and the recruitment of a gynaecologist. Furthermore, a budget proposal of 10 million BDT for medicines has been submitted, a significant increase from the previous 470,000 BDT.

Administrative Stagnation and Political Appointments

While certificate withdrawal has been digitised, other administrative tasks remain cumbersome. Students must still endure long queues at banks for physical payment of exam fees, a process that can take up to two days.

Furthermore, the 1973 University Ordinance, which mandates appointing a Vice-Chancellor from a three-member panel elected by the Senate, is frequently bypassed. Appointments for top administrative roles—including the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, and Registrar—continue to be influenced by political affiliations. Recent shifts have seen the appointment of academics associated with the Zia Parishad and the Nationalist Teachers’ Forum, mirroring the partisan appointment patterns of previous administrations.

Professor AKM Masud Reza of the Bengali Department observed that while the political faces have changed, the systemic practice of ideological appointments remains, leaving many students and faculty sceptical about true institutional autonomy.