Dhaka University students issue 48-hour ultimatum to scrap discriminatory dormitory curfew policies
Photo Collected
DHAKA — Students at the University of Dhaka held a rally at the base of the Raju Memorial Sculpture on Monday to demand the abolition of what they describe as discriminatory nighttime curfews in female dormitories. Operating under the banner of a platform titled “Oborodhbasini,” the demonstrators issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the university administration to address their three-point charter of demands or face stricter protests.
The movement is calling for the halls to remain open 24 hours a day, the implementation of security measures to ensure unrestricted entry, the right for students to access any hall upon presentation of a valid identification card, and the authorization for female guardians to enter the dormitories.
Israt Jahan Imu, organizing secretary of the Biplobi Chhatra Moitri and a representative for Oborodhbasini, stated that the existing policy, which restricts movement between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., creates significant administrative hurdles during emergencies. She cited a 2015 incident at Bongamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, where a student reportedly died after failing to receive timely medical care due to restrictive administrative protocols.
The rally drew support from a broad coalition of organizations, including the Rokeya Hall Central Culture Nibesh, Red Feminist Block, Naripokkho, Nari Angan, Biplobi Nari Mukti, the University Teacher Network, and various student wings such as the Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, Student Union, and Socialist Student Front.
Shireen Huq, a founding member of Naripokkho, noted that activists had campaigned against these restrictions decades ago, successfully pushing for a curfew extension from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. She commended the current generation of students for challenging the systemic discrimination that persists despite those earlier efforts.
Photographer and activist Jannatul Mawa expressed disbelief that such gender-based movement restrictions remain in place, while Rushad Faridi, a professor of economics at the University of Dhaka, spoke on behalf of the University Teacher Network. He characterized the continuation of these “confinement-style” policies as a source of professional embarrassment for the faculty, particularly in the aftermath of the student-led mass uprising of July 2024.
The demonstration also featured remarks from Miami University associate professor Fauzia Ahmed, as well as representatives from the Red Feminist Block and Naripokkho. University officials have yet to issue a formal response to the 48-hour deadline.
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