Jagannath Hall tragedy marks 41 years, renews call for a safe campus

Dhaka University (DU) on Thursday marked the 41st anniversary of the Jagannath Hall tragedy, one of the deadliest accidents in the university’s history, with tributes, prayers and various commemorative programmes. On 15 October 1985, the roof of the then Assembly Hall, now used as a TV room, at Jagannath Hall collapsed, killing 40 people, including 26 students and 14 guests and staff, and injuring more than a hundred others.

Marking the anniversary, DU Vice-Chancellor Prof ABM Obaidul Islam led teachers, students, officers and employees in placing wreaths at the Jagannath Hall Memorial at 7:30am on Thursday. The university also held a discussion meeting at the hall’s Kishorilal Roy Chowdhury Auditorium, where speakers paid tribute to the victims and called for unity and a safer campus.

Addressing the meeting as its chair, Prof Obaidul Islam said the tragedy of 15 October 1985 had united the entire country regardless of race, religion or ethnicity.

"This bond of unity must be strengthened further and spread throughout society," he said.

The vice-chancellor said the university authorities were working to ensure a safe campus and create an environment where everyone could live securely and without hindrance in their respective residences, including residential halls.

"Dhaka University belongs to everyone. Everyone is part of Dhaka University," he said, seeking cooperation from teachers, students, officers, employees and all other stakeholders to build a safe campus.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Prof Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Prof Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane, Treasurer Prof M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Jagannath Hall Provost Prof Debashish Pal and former Provost Prof Ajay Kumar Das also addressed the meeting.

Jagannath Hall Alumni Association President Tapan Chandra Majumder and General Secretary Nibas Chandra Majhi, DU Chhatra Dal President Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahas and General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon also spoke.

Dr Himadri Shekhar Chakraborty, acting controller of examinations at the university and a representative of students injured in the tragedy, shared the discussion platform with leaders of the DU Officers Association, Employees Association, Technical Employees Association and Fourth Class Employees Union.

Acting Registrar Munshi Shams Uddin Ahmed moderated the meeting. Deans of various faculties, provosts of residential halls, teachers, university officials, employees and alumni members attended the programme.

As part of the observance, the university hoisted black flags at all residential halls, hostels and major buildings. Authorities kept the university flag at half-mast, while teachers, students, officers and employees wore black badges to express their grief.

A prayer meeting involving members of the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities took place on the Jagannath Hall premises to pray for the departed souls. The hall also organised a blood donation programme in the morning.

The university scheduled prayers after Asr at Masjidul Jamia, its central mosque, and all residential hall mosques for the victims. The Jagannath Hall administration arranged an exhibition of portraits of the deceased and memorabilia associated with the tragedy, which was scheduled to continue until 6pm.

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The hall also scheduled mourning songs and poetry recitations at its place of worship for 6:30pm. The administration announced plans to organise the October Memorial Writing Competition and the October Memorial Painting Competition to commemorate the victims.

The tragedy occurred on the night of 15 October 1985, when the roof of the Assembly Hall collapsed as people gathered inside. The disaster killed 40 people, including 26 students and 14 guests and employees, while many others sustained injuries.

Dhaka University observes 15 October every year as a day of mourning in memory of those who lost their lives. More than four decades later, the tragedy remains a painful chapter in the university’s history and a reminder of the importance of campus safety, collective responsibility and solidarity.