Pavipravi Representative:
There have been complaints of mismanagement in the dining halls of Patuakhali University of Science and Technology (PUST) and discrepancies in the quality and price of food for a long time. Students have complained about low-quality food, small pieces of fish and meat compared to the price, lack of variety of vegetables, the desire of the dining managers to earn more profit and the failure to follow the instructions of the administration regularly, which is reducing their interest in dining. They complain that they have to pay extra for two meals in the dining hall, which is increasing their suffering in their daily lives.
Although daily meals are very important for university residential students, they say the taste, price, nutritional value and cleanliness of the dining food are not up to expectations. Many are not getting sufficient quantity or quality food despite the high cost of food. As a result, 70 percent of students are losing interest in eating and are eating at various shops around the campus or cooking themselves as an alternative. This is increasing suffering and health risks, the students complain.
Students said that low-quality rice is served in the hall dining halls. The daily menu contains the same items. Sometimes the same type of fish, meat and eggs are served at lunch and dinner. The quantity is also very small. The students also complained that the prices of some foods have been increased from before.
Patuakhali Science and Technology University Journalists Association (PUBISAS) has tried to inquire about the dining in various halls and talk to the students. Everyone expressed regret and discomfort about the dining. After investigating the proposed Bijoy-24 Hall (Bangabandhu Hall), it was found that the dining managers are constantly conducting dining in the hall as they please. Students said that although the quality and variety of food has increased slightly compared to the previous one, there is mismanagement and increase in prices. They said that the fish pieces are regularly reduced in comparison to the price, the price of egg-rice was previously 30 taka but is now being charged 35 taka, the price of lottopi was previously 30 taka which has now increased to 40 taka, a small amount of powdered fish is being sold mixed with potatoes for 40 taka which was previously 30 taka. The students claim that sometimes the provost sir comes to supervise and sometimes tries to provide good food in the dining room, but as time goes by, they deliberately reduce the quality of the food in the dining room. The same picture has been seen in every hall of PUBISAS.
Mir Md. Nurunnabi, an 8th semester student of Vijay-24 Hall, said, "We do not find the quality of food satisfactory even at high prices in the dining room. Sometimes the food smells bad, the amount of water in the soup is high, and the amount of meat or fish is very low. However, the price that has been set for it is creating additional pressure for us. Many universities provide subsidies, that is, financial grants, to keep the quality and price of food in the hall dining room within the reach of students. But here it is not there. Rather, it costs more than 100 taka to eat 2 meals in the hall dining room. Eating three meals a day costs 150 taka on food, which is expensive for everyone. We want our university administration to arrange food in the dining rooms at low prices like other universities."
Mehedi, a student of Bir Shrestha Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir Hall, said, "The responsibility of dining in our hall is given to the students. In this case, students are regularly changed from time to time and new ones are given the responsibility. But in this case, the hall provost does not do so or does not pressure. So the same person takes the responsibility of dining month after month and turns it into a business establishment. Although the one-time meal at noon is okay, most students complain about the dinner. It can be seen that the price of eggs and a few vegetables is being charged at 45 taka, whereas in other halls the price is between 30-35 taka."
In this regard, Monir, a junior assistant in dining at Vijay-24 Hall, said, "We do not receive subsidies from the university. If we receive subsidies, we can improve the quality of food." When asked about the increase in food prices and the students' lack of interest in dining, he could not give a good answer.
When the attention of the university's hall provost convener, Professor Dr. Masudur Rahman, was drawn to this issue, he said, "After I came, I have reduced the price of each meal in the hall by 5 taka and increased the quality of the food. There is regular supervision in the dining, but even then, it happens once or twice a day." In this regard, he also called on the students to monitor the dining managers. When asked about the subsidy, he said, "We are providing free dining rent, water, electricity and other facilities along with the salary of additional people in the dining room."
However, the students' demands are not just assurances but also realistic changes. They want the quality of food to improve and the prices to be reasonable so that students can continue to stay and eat in the halls with peace of mind.
Abu Hasnat Tuhin
Paviprabi Representative
