JU's decrepit building

JAHANGIRNAGAR University's Arts building is more than a sore sight; it is a source of constant danger for more than the 300 students, teachers and administrative staff who use it on a regular basis. Plaster falling off the ceiling is one thing, but when a structure has become dangerous with certain sections of the ceiling caving in, urgent action is required. According to University sources the building, constructed in 1972, has structural flaws that soak in rainwater causing new cracks in the building. Apparently, the vice chancellor's request for repairs back in September has not yielded results.

Although it would be prudent to move classes to the new Arts building, this has not happened because the new building does not have the requisite examinational and seminar halls. We are perplexed as to why the decrepit building has not been repaired. And if it is beyond repair, why has no expansion work commenced in the new one to address the shortcomings?

Precisely what sort of message does that give out to students of a major public university? That their personal safety is a non-issue? The case of the Arts building is one that needs to be addressed immediately before a major disaster happens. Surely no one wants a repetition of the Jagannath Hall disaster in 1985 that left 39 students and employees dead due to a roof collapse. God forbid, were such an incident to occur in the Arts building, the number of casualties might be far greater.