Barishal University Students Protest Fee for Victory Feast

Barishal University (BU) is organizing a Victory Feast to mark the one-year anniversary of the July Revolution, requiring students to register with a Tk 50 fee to receive a meal valued at Tk 150. However, students have expressed dissatisfaction with the administration’s notice, demanding transparency and accountability in the event’s expenditure.

Students argue that the Tk 50 registration fee is excessive, and the Tk 150 per-person budget is inadequate for quality food in the current market. They note that national day events at the university typically have a minimum budget of Tk 220, making the Tk 150 allocation for a significant occasion like 5 August insufficient.

Students also claim that student representatives on the Victory Feast committee are reluctant to discuss the issue with faculty. Mehedi Hasan, a Public Administration student, said, “The university doesn’t feed us daily. If a dignified arrangement isn’t made for this special day, the event loses meaning. This feels like neglect toward students. Many have daily budgets below Tk 50-60, making it difficult to pay Tk 50 to participate.”

Kazi Galib, a Law Department student, added, “The Victory Feast is a prestigious event that can spread our national history and spirit of struggle to the new generation. Sadly, much of the cost is being imposed on students, which is unacceptable in today’s economic reality. We urge the administration to reduce the fee and allocate sufficient funds from its own budget.”

Dr. Rahat Hossain Faysal, a committee member and university proctor, addressed the concerns: “I’ve discussed this with the Vice-Chancellor. Our limited budget and lack of sufficient UGC funding make this challenging. However, following discussions with the Vice-Chancellor, we are hopeful for a positive outcome.”