Allegations have surfaced that seats in Dhaka College’s residential hostel were allocated based on political affiliation rather than merit, attendance and financial need. Students who say they were denied seats allege that several students affiliated with Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the BNP, were given seats instead. The allegations have sparked widespread anger and criticism on social media.
The list of hostel seat allocations for the 2026-27 fiscal year was published on Dhaka College’s website around 7 p.m. Monday, August 24. After the list was published, many students complained that their names were left off the final list despite regular class attendance, good academic results and passing their interview.
Students say that while merit, regular attendance and family financial condition are supposed to be considered in seat allocation, political affiliation was in practice given priority. They further allege that several students affiliated with Chhatra Dal received seats.
Shahin Alam, a student in the Department of Psychology from the 2023-24 session, said he took part in and passed his interview for a seat, and that his name had also appeared on the preliminary list. His name was later dropped from the final list, he said, alleging that a seat was instead given to someone affiliated with Chhatra Dal politics who had not even taken part in the interview.
Tajbiul Hasan, joint convener (No. 4) of Dhaka College Chhatra Dal, also commented on the seat allocation in a social media post. Separately, Saimun Islam Sunny, secretary of the Dhaka College unit of Shibir, criticized and questioned the administration’s seat-allocation process. Masud Rana, general secretary of the Dhaka College unit of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, alleged that although the administration says it considers attendance, exam results and family financial condition, this was not followed in practice. He also claimed that students recommended by their departments through interviews were later dropped from the list without explanation.
Without denying the allegations, Dhaka College Principal Professor A.K.M. Elias said the number of seats in the residential hostel is limited, and that with multiple students applying for each seat, allocation has proven difficult. If any mistakes were made, he said, the relevant seat allocations would be reconsidered. Meanwhile, a group of students has called for a protest march at 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 25, over the alleged irregularities in seat allocation.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report