Sheikh Ahona, a third-year student of Dhaka University (DU), has been commuting to her alma mater from Mirpur for the last two years.
Except for Fridays and Saturdays, she has to take food, from breakfast to lunch and even afternoon snacks, on the campus for the rest of the week.
She also depends on the food available on the campus when she spends a night there.
But she is aggrieved about low-quality or substandard food at the campus. This has been a story for almost all nonresident female students at DU.
“There is no arrangement for quality and hygienic food at the campus. It is not even possible to always bring in homemade food as I have to leave home for the campus early,” she told thereport.live.
“We are not even entitled to have food from the canteens of the hall we are attached to,” Ahona regretted.
Already suffering from health issues, including low blood pressure, driven by oily and unhygienic food, she said, “At times, we don’t even get food... It has become tough for us to stay fit now.” Ahona said she lost weight and immunity over the years.
“When I enrolled here, I weighed 52kg. I lost eight kg since then,” she said.
“Medics found malnutrition in me, suggesting that I change my eating habit,” she added.
Where to get food at DU?
A number of food stalls near the central library of the DU and Hakim Chattar, Charu Kola, IER building, Ganit Bhaban, Pushti Biggan Bhaban, TSC and Kola Bhaban canteens are where the female nonresident students mostly throng for “cheaper” food.
IBA canteen sells food at a higher price and the eateries near the Social Science Faculty do either.
Nevertheless, nonresident female students can have food at Jahannath Hall and Jashim Uddin Hall – two male student dorms.
Almost complete embargo at own halls!
There are five halls for female students at DU. Upon displaying ID cards, nonresident female students are only allowed to enter the administrative office of the halls.
They are not even permitted to reach the canteen or anywhere inside.
Dr Lafifa Jamal, provost of Shansun Nahar Hall, argued that the students are allowed to the hall office, guest room and prayer room.
“If needed, they can have food carried by someone else from the canteen as they are not allowed to eat there,” she said.
About such restrictions, the provost said, “This is because nonresident students in many cases don’t leave the hell once inside.
“There are many allegations on it. So, in a bid to avoid any untoward situation, we don’t allow them in,” she added.
Discomfort at male student hall canteens
Ahona’s year-mate Nusrat Jannat Talbia said it is not only uncomfortable for female students to enter and have food at the two canteens of Jagannath Hall and Jashim Uddin Hall, but they are far away.
She emphasized the need for a canteen for the students of the Social Science Faculty.
Another DU student, Tabassum Tanha, said she spends almost the entire day on the campus.
“So, I’ve to take breakfast and lunch regularly here,” she said adding in the last one year, she fell ill several times mainly due to unhygienic food.
“It seems the university authorities turned a blind eye to our food issues,” Tanha added.
‘Low nutrition in campus food’
Dr Md Saidul Arefin of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at DU attesting to the situation said, “The overall scenario is not good at all. First of all, the food is poor in nutrition quality.
“Plus, substandard and stale food is being served on the campus. These causing illness to the students,” he concluded.
VC vows to look into the issue
When contacted, DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) ASM Maksud Kamal said he, too, is aware of the crisis.
“We’ll assign the proctorial team to probe the prices and quality of food. The team will also keep an on the inconvenience of the female students,” he said.
“Moreover, we’ll consider allowing nonresident female students to have food at their hostel canteens,” the VC added.
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