Illegal structures on campus, RU losing huge revenues

About one hundred illegal structures and shops have been built on and around the Rajshahi University (RU) camps. Those have been constructed at Amtala area and around all different halls on the campus. Moreover, about 50 illegal and unhygienic open shops are carrying out their business activities with the aid of ruling party's political leaders and activists.

Though the university authorities gave temporary permission on humanitarian ground, a lot of problems have been created. Even the occupants are building the extra houses and renting them to the new employees. Sources alleged that the shop and the canteen owners regularly pay toll to the leaders of a student organisation. If anybody fails or shows reluctance to pay the toll, then the shop owner might suffer heavy losses.The temporary occupants are taking handsome money from the new employees for giving them the shelter, sources claimed. As a result, the university is losing huge revenue. sually we permit to build shops on on 30 square feet of land.

But a group ofemployees of the varsity, occupying more than the allotted land, erecting extra linked houses, said Md. Jahidur Rahman, Chief of RU Estate Office. Actually they are paying rent for 30 square feet of land only @ate taka 5 per square feet, he added.The university has a total of 748.96 acres of land, but a vast part thereof is under the control of some unauthorized persons. They are using varsity electricity and other services illegally. There is a so-called tomb on about 16 acres of land, west side of the main campus boundary under Jamalpur Mouza. RU authorities have taken initiatives twice to remove this land but failed. At last, in the year 2005, the university authority filled a case against Mazaar authority.

Besides, there is no boundary to identify the varsity area. So many disputes were created between the university authorities and the landlords of the locality. Several times thieves have sneaked through the boundary wall with the help of local people. That's why RU's 16 residential halls are insecure. RU Estate Officer Jahidur Rahman informed that a list of all illegal occupants was being prepared for action.