A dilapidated, deserted building built 20-year ago as the residential quarters for physicians of Kushtia General Hospital, is now being used by students of Kushtia Medical College as their dormitory. However, construction work of two residential halls are going on and will be completed as soon as early.
It is learnt, most of the rooms of the two-storied dormitory are unfit for residing. The rain water entered into the rooms through the cracked part of the roof, the floors of the rooms are pot-holes and plasters from the walls of the rooms have almost been removed. Yet, by risking lives, the future doctors of the country have no way but to reside and study in those rooms decleared unfit for use decades ago.
Shahid Alam, a 5th year MBBS student of the college informed, 'Only a few days ahead our course will be completed and I'll leave the room. It is the mercy of Allahthat so far I am alive. Sinece I've not died yet, I hope I'd remain alive for the next few days."
Anita Biswas of Natore informed, with a great desire she was admitted in Kushtia Medical College by cancelling her study in the Department of Biochemistry of Dhaka University. However, she said, at the first day after entering the room of Rahima-Afroz women's hostel, all her dreams of becoming a doctor have been faded. With severe, untold sufferings at the residential room and the troubling academic activities, she spent five-year of her study.
She continues, the unhygienic residential rooms are without the provision of drinking water, the toilets emit unbearable stench with no running water and there is no arrangement of hygenic food. Wall plasters of the rooms are being depleted and often the residents of the rooms of the hostel are being injured from the fallen plasters of the roof. She added, he mother once came to the campus to meet her but she failed to take her to the room because of such dilapidated condition. Being ashamed and aggrieved, she only wept all the night by sending back her mother home.
She demanded an immediate end of such inhuman and risky life and a better residential and campus arrangement for the junior students.
It is learnt, Kuhstia Medical College starts its journey in the dilapidated temporary campus in 2011. Already students of four batches have completed their studies.
It is learnt, two projects of construction of a six-storied male and a six-stories female residential halls at a cost of Taka seven crore 96 lakh and Taka seven crore 86 lakh respectively were taken earlier and the works of the halls were supposed to be completed in 2014 but the works not even being completed in 2016, the Project Evaluation Committee did not agree to further increase the tenure of construction of the halls. As a result, the construction of the halls still remained incomplete.
Khorshed Alam, Vice-President of Sommilito Samajik Andolon, Kushtia said,' We are ashamed and sorry that students of Kushtia Medical College were facing untold sufferings and leading an inhuman lives with risk and insecurity.'
Executive Engineer of Public Works Department, Kushtia, Ariful Islam said, the building in which the students of KMC used to live have been declared unfit for use and living long ago. However, how the students are residing in those deserted buildings is only be told by the authorities of KMC.
Dr. Sarwar Zahan, Principal (in-charge) of KMC said,' during the inauguration of the academic activities of the college, students have no way but to reside in those dilapidated, deserted buildings. We thought it as temporary. However, an unusual, lengthy construction of the projects have surpassed all patience of everyone concern. He demanded to end the stalemate immediately.
Dr Aminul Islam, Project Director of KMC Construction Project informed, 95 percent works of construction of two halls have been completed and he was trying the finish rest of the works as soon as possible.
