BL College in Khulna: Students suffer as dorms stay shut for 18 months

Students of Government Brajalal College in Khulna have long been grappling with a severe accommodation crisis as all five dormitories for male students have remained closed for the past 18 months.

Also known as BL College, the institution, established in 1902, is one of the oldest centres of higher education in the greater Khulna region.

The shutdown followed political interference, vandalism, and prolonged delays in renovation, forcing many students to stay in unsafe or costly private lodgings.

Despite having more than 33,000 students across higher secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate programmes, the college can accommodate barely around 2 percent of them, with only 721 hostel seats available across eight dormitories – five for male students and three for female students.

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While most of the halls were already in a shabby state, the situation worsened further since August 5, 2024, when all five male dormitories were shut down following vandalism and looting.

College authorities, however, repeatedly cited ongoing renovation as the reason for keeping the halls closed, but little progress has been visible on the ground.

Visiting the campus recently, this correspondent observed that Shahid Titumir Hall has become severely dilapidated, with structural risks making it unfit for accommodation.

Kabi Nazrul and Subodh Chandra halls were also seen in dire condition. Doors and windows are broken, plaster is peeling off the walls and ceilings, and overgrown bushes have taken over the compound. Inside, rooms and furniture lie vandalised, with debris scattered across the floors.

Only two male dormitories – Haji Mohsin and Dr Zoha halls – reportedly underwent minor repairs and fresh coats of paint recently, but they are still closed to students.

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In contrast, the three female dormitories – Begum Khaleda Zia, Begum Monnujan, and Begum Fazilatunnesa halls – were seen functioning to some extent, accommodating a limited number of students. Although no one stayed in these halls immediately after the August 5 political changeover in 2024, female students gradually began returning, prompting the college administration to reopen them partially.

With all male dormitories closed, students from Bagerhat, Satkhira, Jashore, Narail, Kushtia, and other districts across Khulna division have been hit the hardest. Many have taken shelter in crowded messes, rented shared rooms, or makeshift accommodations, often without adequate security and amid poor living conditions and high costs.

Students say the sudden shift away from campus housing has disrupted academic routines, increased expenses, and heightened security concerns.

Sabbir Ahmed, a third-year student of the Mathematics department, said many students have been under immense pressure as they have to travel long distances to attend classes regularly under the present circumstances.

“We went to the principal and requested repeatedly to reopen the halls, to no avail,” he added.

Echoing him, Titash Chakrabatty, another student, urged the authorities to allocate dormitory seats to students based on merit, distance, and economic hardship once the halls are reopened.

According to the college authorities, the halls were already suffering from severe mismanagement and political dominance. Then the chaos following the political changeover led to further disorder and widespread vandalism, forcing the halls to shut down.

Prof Anwarul Kadir, an educationalist and civil society member, called for renovation of the existing halls and construction of new ones to match the institution’s massive student population.

“A college with 33,000 students cannot run with only 721 hostel seats,” he added.

Abdur Razzak, vice-principal of BL College, said they had inspected all the halls shortly after they were closed.

“Titumir Hall is no longer fit for living. Nazrul and Subodh Chandra halls require full renovation before they can be reopened. Negligence by contractors and supervising engineers caused some delays to the renovation work. We hope to resolve these issues soon,” he added.