Authorities blame bureaucratic hurdles, fund delays
Despite repeated student protests, government intervention, and even army involvement, the long-awaited second campus of Jagannath University (JnU) in Keraniganj has seen little progress, six years after land acquisition began.
The project, once billed as a solution to the chronic space crisis at JnU, remains stuck in its first phase.
Meanwhile, the main campus is supposed to take shape in the second phase of the project, which remains a distant prospect, leaving thousands of students frustrated.
Over the long delay and due to mounting frustration, JnU students launched a protest in January this year, prompting the education ministry to hand over part of the work to the Bangladesh Army, with a revised deadline of December 2026.
However, eight months have passed since then, but the progress remains minimal.
A recent visit to the site revealed only four visible components -- land development, a boundary wall, an engineering building, and a pond ghat.
Of these, work on the engineering building has been halted over corruption allegations. The boundary wall and sand filling are progressing slowly, while only the pond ghat appears close to completion.
Students allege that despite army oversight, the same contractor who failed over the past six years still holds the first-phase work order.
"Those who could not finish in six years -- how will they deliver in just a year?" asked Adiba Naomi, a student of Mass Communication and Journalism. "Corruption and bureaucratic delays seem to be the main obstacles," she said.
Officials involved in the project pointed to delays in land acquisition and master plan approval as the primary barriers.
They also pointed to administrative red tape, suspension of funds, tender complications, and corruption allegations that stalled the project repeatedly. Even after the army was formally assigned, several months were lost to bureaucratic procedures before implementation could begin.
"The work stalled mainly due to delays in the master plan and land acquisition. Now, the university and the army are monitoring the project jointly. We hope to complete it within the revised timeline [December 2026]," said JnU's Chief Engineer Helal Uddin Patwary.
Earlier, on January 12, students staged a protest, boycotting classes and exams, and went on a hunger strike, demanding that the entire project be handed over to the Bangladesh Army for its speedy implementation.
Consequently, on January 16, the education ministry issued a notice, assigning the work to the army.
According to the government order, the army is tasked with constructing internal and external roads, surface drains, lake protection, an army base camp, and electrical installations.
Meanwhile, the previous contractor would continue with the other parts of the project under the supervision of the army and JnU authorities.
However, due to a lack of coordination among government offices, alongside financial complications, the work hasn't progressed much.
Contacted, Project Director Lt Col Iftekhar Alam said, "The project will be completed in two phases. The first phase is scheduled to be finished by December 2026. Work on the base camp has already finished, and other works will commence once funds are released."
In 2016, following a series of protests over several years, the then-government pledged a second campus for JnU.
The project received Ecnec approval in 2017, with plans for academic and administrative buildings, dormitories, research facilities, and sports grounds across 200 acres.
Although JnU formally received 188.60 acres in early 2020, complications held up the remaining 11.40 acres for nearly five years. Only this June did the university secure the full 200 acres.
Initially scheduled for completion in 2020, the project has already missed three deadlines. At one stage, the finance ministry even suspended funding, halting construction until student protests reignited pressure.
In this regard, JnU Vice Chancellor Prof Rezaul Karim said, "The project got stuck after missing deadlines, and the ministry stopped funding. However, it has now resumed. We are hopeful that the first phase will be completed in time."
