Female students insecure at CU !

The authorities are not taking adequate security measures, some students alleged while talking to this correspondent.

A few days back, local people kidnapped a female student of Islamic History department from Nikunja area behind the arts faculty building. She went there to see the scenic beauty with a male student Nayonof Philosophy department.

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Suddenly, a gang attacked them with dharp weapons while they were returning at around 6pm.

Injured Nayon returned and informed his friends at Shaheed Abdur Rab hall, a short distance from the spot.

After about two hours' search, the students rescued the girl from a hilly area two kilometers away from the campus.

Police and the university authorities were informed immediately after the incident, but they did nothing to rescue the girl, they alleged.

After the incident, female students of Shamsunnahar Hall and Pritilata Hall took out processions on the campus and submitted memoranda to the vice- chancellor to ensure security on the campus.

In August, some female students of Geography Department were assaulted by locals when they were returning to their dormitories at about 9 pm after watching the Mars through telescope at the botanical garden.

Some of the victims alleged that the university authorities did not take any security measures for female students during the programme, organised by the department.

At dormitories also, they always remain scared as snakes often enter those. Tandra, a second year student, was recently bitten by a snake on the ground floor at Sha-msunnahar Hall.

"Very often snakes enter female dormitories, creating panic among students. We appealed to the authorities to spray Carbolic Acid in certain areas as a protection against snakes but to no effect", Shirin, a student at Pritilata Hall.

Added to these, female students are very often mugged on the campus. Such incidents increased in the last few months. Round Pond, Nikunja, Forestry and Marine Science Institute areas are vulnerable areas on the campus.

They said they failed to draw the authorities' attention even after repeated complaints.

When contacted, an assistant proctor preferring anonymity said, "We are trying utmost to look after our students on the campus but lack of manpower is one of the major impediments ".