CU students face acute transport crisis

Students wait at the Sholoshahar Railway Station for the Chittagong University-bound shuttle train. PHOTO: STAR

With some 5,000 students, out of around 16,000, staying in eight dormitories and several cottages on the campus, around 11,000 others have to travel to the university - some 22 kilometres off the city, to attend the class everyday.

Only two shuttle trains, few buses and age-old maxis are the transports to carry this huge number of students to and from the city.

Though the two shuttle trains run between the city and the university ten times a day, but unable to face the rush of students in the morning.

Each train, with nine 120-seat compartments, has capacity of carrying 1,000 passengers while over 4,000 students cram into two trains during the rush hour in the morning for attending the classes at the university.

It forces the students undergo a great hassle with many travelling on the roof of the train risking their life.

When the shuttle trains leave the Sholoshahar Railway Station, last stoppage in the city, there is no room even for a single person to stay in them, students said.

"After a journey by such congested trains, many of us become exhausted and can't concentrate mind on study in the class," said Mohammed Khairul Alam, a student of the university.

The situation worsened when several buses, the university introduced to carry the students to and from the city in 2003, stopped plying recently on the plea of fuel price hike.

Besides, some worn out maxis, which were withdrawn from other routes, ply the city-university route from New Market in the city charging Tk15 per head.

"Very often these maxis develop trouble and sometimes even go out of order at the middle of our hurried journey," said Wahiduzzaman, a student of Science Faculty.

Many guardians also are reluctant to enroll their wards in the university only due to transportation crisis, said the students referring to their friends now studying in different city colleges.

The situation is most unfavourable for the female students, they added.

"Sometimes we have to wait at the station for around three hours if we miss the 2:30pm train and are left with no other option other than availing the next train that departs the university at 5:20pm," said Mohammad Mohsin of Arts Faculty.

Proctor Dr Mohammad Al Amin said the university authorities discussed the problem of the students at a meeting on March 13 and decided to resume 19 bus services to and from the city immediately. He, however, said bus fair will be Tk 12 per head instead of the previous one of Tk10.

"Anyway it will reduce the suffering of the students at least to some extent," Dr Al Amin said.