‘Campus not a male-only space’

Female students of Dhaka University organised a BBQ party at the university’s central field last evening to protest an order restricting their entry to the field after 5:00pm. 

Organisers said the event was a symbolic act to challenge the restriction and draw attention to concerns over equal access to campus spaces.

They presented five demands to the university authorities.

They demanded an end to harassment and discriminatory restrictions imposed on female students under the pretext of “special security”.

They also demanded the immediate reconstitution and activation of the university’s Sexual Harassment Prevention Cell.

Their other demands include repairing the non-functional women’s toilet at the TSC and ensuring safe, adequate and usable toilet facilities across campus; allowing all legitimate female students, including non-residents and residents of other halls, entry into any women’s hall with a valid student ID; and allowing mothers and sisters of resident female students access to women’s halls through a formal application process.

Hema Chakma, an organiser of the protest and a Dhaka University Central Students’ Union member, said that over the past few days, women had repeatedly been stopped from entering the central field after 5:00pm under vague and unjustified “security concerns”.

“Female students joined this programme to protest this and claim their right to the campus. Every participant registered voluntarily, paying from their own pocket,” she said.

“The campus is not a male-only space. We demand the right to move freely everywhere, including the central field and Mall Chattar. Organising this programme after 5:00pm is a direct challenge to this discriminatory restriction,” said Hema.

“Despite raising these issues with the authorities, no effective action was taken, leaving us no choice but to protest and submit a formal memorandum,” she added.

Around 85 female students registered for the party in advance, while others joined on the spot.