A student was injured after a chunk of plaster fell from the ceiling of Shahjalal Hall at Chittagong University (CU) early today (26 August).

The incident occurred around midnight in room 109 of the dormitory. Following the accident, residents staged a symbolic protest in front of the hall and locked the provost’s office, though the lock was later removed the same night.

Several students alleged that such incidents have become frequent in Shahjalal Hall. “Just two days ago, plaster also fell on a student named Minhaj. This is now a regular occurrence here,” one of them said.

The injured student, Habibullah Misbah, told TBS, “I was studying when a piece of plaster suddenly fell on my neck. I stood up immediately, and another large piece crashed onto my chair. The injured spot on my neck swelled up, so I poured water on it. The swelling and pain are still there.”

Misbah also pointed to mismanagement in the dormitory. “My room’s window has no rods — I’ve temporarily blocked it with wood. This makes theft a real possibility. And since I live on the ground floor, there’s also the risk of snakes entering during the monsoon,” he added.

Contacted, Shahjalal Hall Provost Prof Dr Fuad Hasan told TBS, “We have explained our position to the students, and they have understood. We will request the authorities to speed up the ongoing repair works. For the issues that fall outside our jurisdiction, we will approach the university administration for quick renovations.”