ABDULLAH HEL BUBUN and MAHATHIR MOHAMMAD

Kasirah Sultana’s* mother travelled more than 300 kilometres from Dinajpur to Dhaka University to surprise her daughter with her favourite meal. She reached Rukayyah Hall at 10:58pm -- nearly an hour after the gates had closed -- but was denied entry. Kasirah, a resident of the hall, was not allowed to go outside to meet her either.

Around the same time, a male student living in a nearby hall stepped out of his residence for a walk on campus. Male students at Dhaka University can enter and leave their halls at any hour.

This stark contrast reflects a broader pattern. Across public universities in Bangladesh, female students routinely face stricter restrictions than their male peers, limiting not only their movement but also their access to work, campus life, and social interactions.

While DU formally enforces a 10:00pm deadline to return to halls for female students, often extended informally to around 11:00pm, many other public universities impose tighter deadlines. At several institutions, female students must return by 8:00pm or 9:00pm, with penalties for late entry ranging from warnings to administrative action.

Interviews with more than 20 female students from DU, Khulna University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), and Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University (MBSTU) suggest that these rules are both widely enforced and unevenly applied, compared to the unrestricted access granted to male students.

INCOME AT STAKE

For many students from middle- and lower-income backgrounds, private tutoring and part-time work are essential sources of income. But strict curfews make it difficult for female students to continue such jobs.

Afrin, a student at KU, said most tutoring opportunities take place in the late afternoon or evening, after classes end around 4:00pm or 5:00pm. However, traffic congestion in the city often makes it impossible to return before the 8:00pm or 9:00pm deadlines.

“Some of my friends had to quit their tutoring jobs because they couldn’t make it back in time,” she said.

Students at MBSTU in Tangail described similar challenges. Liza, a resident of Fajilatunnesa Joha Hall, said travelling to town for tutoring is time-consuming, leaving little margin to meet the deadline.

“Students whose classes end in the afternoon often struggle to return before the deadline,” she said.

Neha, another student, added that attempts to contact hall authorities for late entry approval often go unanswered, leaving students stranded outside.

The restrictions have also cost students formal job opportunities. Kasirah said she had to decline a position at a fashion house because it required work until 9:30pm, making it impossible to return to her hall on time.

CAMPUS LIFE CURTAILED

Beyond income, students say the current system limits their participation in campus life.

Female students are often prohibited from entering other women’s halls, even for routine visits. Nuzia Hasin Rasha, former president of Revolutionary Students Unity at DU, criticised the policy as discriminatory.

“Male students face no such restrictions,” she said. “These rules isolate female students and restrict their social and academic engagement.”

Extracurricular activities are also

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