Six access control gates at Rajshahi University (RU) have remained out of order for nearly nine years, sparking anger over the apparent waste of around Tk85 lakh spent on installing them.
The gates were installed to improve security and make administrative activities easier, but they stopped functioning within just two months of being put into operation.
In 2017, the university introduced smart ID cards with the aim of ensuring student safety and providing modern services. As part of the initiative, six modern access control gates were purchased for around Tk85 lakh during the tenure of then vice-chancellor Muhammad Mizanuddin.
Three of the gates were installed in front of the main entrance to administrative building-1 and the other three in front of the central library. The plan was to regulate entry through the gates using smart ID cards.
However, after the gates became non-functional within two months, no clear information was available on whether the university administration had taken any effective steps to repair or maintain them.
Fuad Ratul, convener of the university unit of the Socialist Students’ Front, expressed anger over the issue.
“This is a ruthless waste of taxpayers’ money. Such waste is unacceptable in an institution like a university, which is expected to be conscious and responsible,” he told TIMES.
Shahparan Likhon, a residential student of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall, said, “This is extremely unfortunate. It is not only a waste of money but also raises questions about the administration’s accountability and responsibility.”
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Abdul Alim said, “We are considering how the gates can be made operational and how the system can be expanded. No formal meeting has yet been held on the matter. However, I have personally spoken to many people about it.”
The access control gates installed at the entrance to the central library have also become a source of difficulty for students with physical disabilities.
Many students are unable to pass through the gates normally even if they want to, leaving them facing discrimination and various difficulties in accessing the central library.
Mohammad Azhar, president of the university’s Physically Challenged Development Foundation (PDF), said, “Our central library is not disability-friendly. People with disabilities cannot enter it properly. In particular, wheelchair users are unable to access the library comfortably and study there with ease.”
The pro-vice-chancellor said, “We are also taking the needs of students with special needs into consideration. We will take steps to make the library gates easier to use and more accessible for them.”
