As feared, many admission seekers of Rajshahi University (RU) and their guardians were desperate to find a place to stay yesterday, and the situation was exacerbated by unusually high accommodation rents in the city.
RU authorities began holding its three-day honours admission tests yesterday, keeping students' residential halls, bar the women's dorms, closed. Some 1.28 lakh students are sitting for the tests, which will be held till October 6.
Many admission seekers and their guardians said they had to sleep under the open sky, after finding no place to stay. Some were seen passing the night on footpaths, and some stayed inside the buses by which they came to Rajshahi.
Rents for seats (dormitory accommodation) soared. A seat that used to go for Tk 1,200 per month was rented out for at least Tk 3,000 per night.
"I was roaming around the train station, planning to spend the night there. Finally, a person offered me a room to stay along with six other admission seekers," said admission-seeker Naim Hasan from Dhaka.
Khalilur Rahman, a resident of Dhaka, said he managed a seat at a private hostel for himself and his son for two nights, spending Tk 6,000.
Ahmed Ibrahim of Patuakhali, who went to Rajshahi with his son and daughter for the tests, said, "I managed a seat for my daughter at the women's hall, but found no place for my son and I."
Later, a stranger arranged the night's stay for Ibrahim's son at his home, and the admission seeker had to stay in the veranda.
Many Rajshahi residents, RU's teachers and students, and local politicians hosted the admission seekers at their houses.
Mohammad Shahriar Alam, state minister for foreign affairs, said his parents and sister made arrangements for 12 students and their guardians to stay at their homes. "We do this every year. It has become a tradition for the people of Rajshahi," he said.
Asaduzzaman Asad, former district secretary of Awami League, said 17 students were staying with him at his home.
Amid this situation, RU Vice Chancellor Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar announced that they will consider holding tests in all divisions from next year.
"We will discuss holding the admission tests either in all divisions or in clusters with other universities," he said while observing the tests on campus yesterday.
Meanwhile, the RU premises were buzzing with people from across the country yesterday.
He, however, said the decision depends on a series of discussions with university academic councils and government officials.
Regarding accommodation for girls, RU Provosts' Council Convenor Prof Md Ekram Hossain said the women's dorms housed some 600 girls and their guardians on Sunday night.
The dorms, which have a capacity for taking in 3,000 people, were set to accommodate some 2,500 yesterday night. Meanwhile, claims of charging extra fares were raised against drivers of auto-rickshaws and human hauliers. Students said auto-rickshaw drivers charged them Tk 30 to Tk 50, when the usual fare is Tk 10.
Due to the inflow of so many people, there were major traffic jams at different intersections. Auto-rickshaw driver Hafizur Rahman said they charge higher during admission tests, as traffic jams during the period reduce their income.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abu Kalam Siddique said they ensured security for the visitors, and will take steps if anyone charges higher for anything.
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