Dhaka University like every year observed mourning day on Friday, commemorating the victims of the roof collapse at Jagannath Hall 25 years ago.
On October 15, 1985, some 39 students and employees of the hall died in a roof collapse at the building while they were watching television.
The university observes the day every year by hoisting black flags and keeping the university flags at half-mast at all buildings on the campus from dawn to dusk.
The students, teachers and employees wearing black badges observed the day while special prayers were offered in different mosques and temples at the university.
The authorities, led by the vice-chancellor, AAMS Arefin Siddique, brought out a mourning procession from the base of Aparajeya Bangla in the morning.
Later, the vice-chancellor, on behalf of the university authorities, paid his tribute to the victims, placing a wreath at the monument on the Jagannath Hall premises in the morning.
The vice-chancellor also inaugurated a structure at the hall to preserve the memory of the tragedy.
An exhibition was held at the courtyard of the hall from 9:00am to 6:00pm, where oil paintings and memories of the victims were on display.
A blood donation programme was also organised at the same venue for the day.
The university pro-vice-chancellor, Harun-or-Rashid, president of teacher’s association Khandaker Bazlul Haque and provost of different halls, among others, were present at the commemoration ceremony.
At a commemoration meeting, Arefin Siddique said, ‘In observing the day, we all have to remain alert that no such incident recurs at any place of the country. We have to take pledge to be honest and sincere as inefficiency and dishonesty caused the accident.’
DU senate member Subhash Sinha Roy urged the authorities concerned to renovate all the risky buildings on the campus to avoid any such accident.
A large number of students residing in vulnerable Shahidullah Hall and Jagannath Hall, Surya Sen Hall and Mohsin Hall fear the recurrence of such tragic incident if a moderate earthquake hits the city.
The university authorities have also admitted that they have identified cracks and fractures on the walls of the four dormitories.
A discussion meeting and cultural programme is set to be held at the Teacher Student Centre auditorium on October 28 as part of the programmes to mark the day.
