Nearly 80% of students at Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia lack residential accommodation, forcing thousands to live in rented housing off campus, while female students have reported harassment by outsiders on campus and in surrounding areas.

The university has 19,669 students, but its eight residential halls can accommodate only 3,973, leaving nearly 16,000 without university housing, according to university sources.

The university has five halls for male students and three for female students. The accommodation shortage has forced some female students to share beds and stay in overcrowded common rooms, affecting their sleep, studies and personal space.

Those living outside campus also face safety concerns while commuting to classes and examinations, particularly as the university is located around 24 kilometres from Kushtia town and 22 kilometres from Jhenaidah town.

Female students report harassment

Several female students have alleged sexual harassment by outsiders on campus, on local buses, at nearby markets and in surrounding areas.

A student of the Department of Folklore and Social Studies said she had experienced unwanted touching by outsiders on local buses on several occasions.

Another student, from the Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, alleged that several people followed her on campus one evening, whistling and repeatedly calling out to her. Unable to find transport, she said she eventually ran away out of fear.

Some students have refrained from filing formal complaints with the university’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee, citing fear, social stigma and difficulties in identifying the alleged perpetrators.

Jinnat Maliat Sima, a student of the Department of Folklore and Social Studies, questioned the committee’s effectiveness and alleged that some of its members had themselves harassed students.

Committee member Prof Dr Hamida Khatun said the committee had undertaken awareness initiatives, including distributing guidelines on preventing harassment and filing complaints, putting up banners and organising awareness activities.

IU Proctor Prof Dr Shahinuzzaman said the administration was working to prevent such incidents but acknowledged the difficulty of addressing harassment outside the campus.

The university’s Provost Council President Prof Dr Aynul Haque Akand said the current administration was working to resolve the accommodation crisis.

The university is expected to complete construction of several new residential halls soon. However, students have also called for safer transport for female students, stronger security on isolated roads and better protection for those commuting between their residences and the campus.