Buddhist and Indigenous Students Demand 60% Seat Allocation at Atish Dipankar Hall, CU

 

Chattogram, September 2, 2025 (Changhma Times News):

In a strong move for fair representation, Buddhist and Indigenous students of Chittagong University (CU) today submitted a memorandum to the Provost of Atish Dipankar Srigyan Hall, demanding that 60 percent of the seats be reserved for plain-land and hill Buddhist and Indigenous students as per the Atish Dipankar Srigyan Hall Management and Seat Allocation Policy 2022.

The memorandum highlighted that during the seat allocation process of March 2025, out of 287 seats distributed in the first phase, only 161 seats (56.17%) went to Buddhist and Indigenous students, while 126 seats (43.90%) were allotted to general students. This, the students argued, was a violation of the policy which clearly mandates 60 percent reservation for Buddhist and Indigenous students.

According to the latest update of 19 August 2025, the hall currently accommodates 304 students. Of them, only 162 (53.29%) are Buddhist and Indigenous students from the hills and plains, while 141 (46.38%) are general students. Despite a large number of Indigenous students waiting for seats, the hall administration has reportedly shown little effort to ensure compliance with the policy.

In their memorandum, the students put forward three key demands:

1. Ensure 60% seat allocation for plain-land Buddhist and Indigenous students before finalizing the voter list for the CUCSU and Hall Union elections.

2. Allocate seats on a priority basis to Buddhist and Indigenous students who are already on the waiting list.

3. If necessary, accept new applications to fulfill the 60 percent seat quota for Buddhist and Indigenous students.

The students emphasized that fair implementation of the policy is not only a matter of justice but also crucial for safeguarding the rights of marginalized communities within the university.