The students of Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) are facing an accommodation crisis due to a shortage of seats in the university halls. With over 8,000 students, there are only 2,387 seats available across the five halls. The students urge the administration to expand the hall facilities to address this issue.
According to NSTU's academic section, the number of current students is around 8,250, with approximately 4,250 male students and 4,000 female students. However, there are only two residence halls for male students, "BhashaShohidAbdus Salam Hall" and "BirMuktijoddha Abdul MalekUkil Hall," which together accommodate just 860 students.
For female students, there are three halls, "Hazrat Bibi Khadija Hall," "Bangamata Sheikh FazilatunNesaMujib Hall," and "Jatir Pita Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall," with a combined capacity of 1,527. In total, the five halls can only accommodate 2,387 students.
For instance, BhashaShohidAbdus Salam Hall, which has a capacity of 420 students, received applications from around 750 students for new allotments. Similarly, BirMuktijoddha Abdul MalekUkil Hall can accommodate 440 students, but 902 students applied for seats. The situation is similar in the female halls.
Hazrat Bibi Khadija Hall has a capacity of 435 seats, Bangamata Sheikh FazilatunNesaMujib Hall has 612 seats, and Jatir Pita Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall can accommodate 480 students. Due to this shortage, many students are left without proper accommodation, leading to high living expenses and unhealthy conditions in private accommodations outside the campus.
Reflecting on the accommodation crisis, a student named MaheAfranAbir said, "Despite the increasing number of students, the campus struggles to provide adequate residential facilities. The limited capacity of halls has created a seat shortage, posing significant challenges for many students."
Another student, MayuriNur, shared her frustrations, saying, "The university dormitory should feel like a second home, but even after more than 15 years, the administration has not provided adequate facilities. The ratio of students to hall seats is insufficient. Many halls set up 'Gonorooms' to meet demand, and some students are forced to share tiny beds.
According to university administration officials, building new halls requires government permission and funding. They are prioritizing seat allotment for students on the basis of need. In August 2024, a new hall policy was introduced and approved, allowing for a timely and structured seat allocation process.
Professor Dr. Hanif Murad, provost of BhashaShohidAbdus Salam Hall, said, "We have introduced a new policy for seat allotment based on merit, seniority, and disability. Given the seat scarcity, we prioritize students in need. Addressing this issue will require new halls funded by the government."
When asked about the accommodation crisis, NSTU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Muhammad Ismail replied, “We currently have five halls—two for male students and three for female students. We have included three more halls in the university's revised development plan, with preliminary designs underway. If approved by the government’s Executive Committee on National Economic Council (ECNEC), the plan will add two male halls and one female hall, each with a ten-story foundation. We are optimistic that this revision, with an estimated budget of 242 crore taka, will be prioritized and help alleviate the housing crisis significantly.”
