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On October 15, 1985, over 400 students packed the auditorium of Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University to watch "Shuktara", a popular weekly television drama. Even before the first lines had been delivered, 39 of them were killed on spot, and scores others injured, when the roof of the 64-year-old building collapsed.
The building had once been rebuilt and remodelled in 1947 but never since. Rainwater often seeped through the roof and students had repeatedly demanded its repair. All the authorities did was call tenders and order a patchwork method of repair. On September 7 of that year, the "Campus" page of The New Nation featured an article titled "Red Tapism Destroying Jagannath Hall" in which was described the dilapidated state of the building, even warning that it would give way any moment. The then Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, Prof Shamsul Haque, visited the hall and instructed the concerned authorities to do "the needful".
On the day of the tragedy, the building was undergoing another of its patchwork method repairs. The outer coating of the roof had been removed, making it even more permeable to rain which, later seeping through, caused the immediate collapse of the roof.
Proper repair of the building as well as that of other old buildings was always stalled on the ground of fund constraints. Why the building, which was known to be unsafe, was still being used and the students not vacated is a mystery. The fact that the government and concerned authorities were incompetent during the rescue operation comes later.
When the showers hit at around 8:40 p.m., there was a loud bang, the lights went out, and steel trusses, bricks, tiles and iron rods crashed down upon a mass grave. Upon students who, ironically, took shelter from the drizzle in the building. Some who did not even usually watch television but who wanted to relax after exams. Young men who tutored students, while themselves studying, in order to help their families back home. Sons who had promised their mothers they would be back to celebrate Puja in a few weeks. A three-day national mourning was observed after the incident.
4 Days from today (Wednesday, 15 Oct, 2008) Dhaka University students, for the 23 years, will observe a day of mourning for the Jagannath Hall tragedy.
The building had once been rebuilt and remodelled in 1947 but never since. Rainwater often seeped through the roof and students had repeatedly demanded its repair. All the authorities did was call tenders and order a patchwork method of repair. On September 7 of that year, the "Campus" page of The New Nation featured an article titled "Red Tapism Destroying Jagannath Hall" in which was described the dilapidated state of the building, even warning that it would give way any moment. The then Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, Prof Shamsul Haque, visited the hall and instructed the concerned authorities to do "the needful".
On the day of the tragedy, the building was undergoing another of its patchwork method repairs. The outer coating of the roof had been removed, making it even more permeable to rain which, later seeping through, caused the immediate collapse of the roof.
Proper repair of the building as well as that of other old buildings was always stalled on the ground of fund constraints. Why the building, which was known to be unsafe, was still being used and the students not vacated is a mystery. The fact that the government and concerned authorities were incompetent during the rescue operation comes later.
When the showers hit at around 8:40 p.m., there was a loud bang, the lights went out, and steel trusses, bricks, tiles and iron rods crashed down upon a mass grave. Upon students who, ironically, took shelter from the drizzle in the building. Some who did not even usually watch television but who wanted to relax after exams. Young men who tutored students, while themselves studying, in order to help their families back home. Sons who had promised their mothers they would be back to celebrate Puja in a few weeks. A three-day national mourning was observed after the incident.
4 Days from today (Wednesday, 15 Oct, 2008) Dhaka University students, for the 23 years, will observe a day of mourning for the Jagannath Hall tragedy.
Source:
Group, University of Dhaka
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