Education is a basic human right, but for a developing nation like Bangladesh, attention needs to be paid to female education in particular.

The female student population at Jagannath University (JnU) is one of the lowest among public universities in Bangladesh. It is known that fewer female students enrol at the JnU due to lack of residential facilities. When more female students are getting admitted to universities, and clearing different board exams with more successful results than their male counterparts, Jagannath University (JnU) sees fewer female students than in any other public universities due to a lack of residential facilities.

According to figures available, there are 9,045 female students at Dhaka University (DU), which is 43 per cent of the total number of students; at the University of Chittagong (CU), the number is 6,803 (40 per cent); at Khulna University (KU) it is 1,507 (43 per cent); and at Jahangirnagar University (JU) female students number 4,171 (43 per cent). In comparison, Jagannath University (JnU) has 4,783 female students, which is only 24 per cent of the total.

Critics blame lack of halls for women as the main reason behind the low enrolment at JnU, and many parents are yet to be convinced that JnU is fit for female students. Parents of female students hardly encourage their children to sit for the JnU admission test for not having residence at JnU.

According to the JnU website and registrar (building) sources, there is not a single dormitory for women. The JnU authorities had planned to complete the lone 16-storey Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall by June 2018, but 40 per cent of the construction work is yet to be completed.

Professor Dr AK Azad Chowdhury, chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), inaugurated the construction of the hall on October 20, 2014. Although the UGC has undertaken several projects for JnU, admission seekers are not interested in the university.

According to university sources, on February 9, 2012, illegal occupants were evicted from 23 katha of the Bangla Bazar Government Girl's School on Liaquat Avenue for construction of the hall. On August 25, 2013, the JnU authorities decided to construct the hall. The decision to start the primary work of construction of the 20-storied two towers to ensure housing facilities of 1,000 students. On October 22 of that year, the foundation stone of the hall was laid. Later in December 2014, Wahid Mia, a contracting company took responsibility for constructing a 16-storied building on the foundation for the 20-storied building under a three-year project. But after the opening of the construction work of the hall thrice, the work finally started in 2015.

About the delayed work, the project manager said: “Due to lack of adequate space for storing construction materials like rods, cement and bricks, the work was delayed. As people in the vicinity of the school objected, the police had to face trouble many times. The work was interrupted. But now the work is going on and the work will be completed at the right time.

JnU Registrar Engineer Md Ohiduzzaman said: “We are hoping that the construction will be completed in time”

 Taslima Khatun, a student of the 2017-18 academic session, told The Independent: “I have to stay in a mess as there are no dormitories for female students. My family is spending Tk. 8,000 each month for my mess in old Dhaka."

 Anupoma Roy, a second year student of the university, said: “University life without staying in a hall is like watching the world by keeping one’s eyes closed. I want to live in a hall throughout my university days.”

Khalequr Zaman, father of a female JnU graduate student, said: “My daughter has to stay in a mess as her university has no hall for females. I have to pay at least Tk. 8,000 a month for her living expenses and academic costs.”

 Jagannath University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Mijanur Rahman, said: “The construction company should hand over the hall before June as promised. The JnU authorities are trying to speed up the construction.”

 He claimed that the construction work is almost complete. "Female students will be able to move into the hall soon," he added.