The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Most of the house tutors at Dhaka University (DU) dormitories tend to duck duties despite of drawing financial and promotional benefits and enjoying housing facilities for shouldering the responsibilities.

According to the university budget book, DU allocated Taka 31.43 lakh under the head of allowance for the provosts and house tutors of 19 dormitories for the financial year 2007-08.

The DU has at least 120 house tutors and 70 assistant house tutors at 19 dormitories, according to the sources.

Students say if the house tutors had been regular on duty, they would not have faced the seat crisis and outsiders could not been stayed in the halls. "It took me many days to meet a house tutor to get a dormitory seat", said Mansur Alam, a resident student of Zahurul Haque Hall. "If the house tutors could monitored the hall canteens regularly, then resident students would received far better services ", he added.

The house tutors get Taka 1,000 in extra allowances and assistance house tutors receive Taka 800. All of them get flats close to the dormitories to carry out regular duties.

Resident students have to go to house tutors for seat allotment or changing rooms.

According to the DU ordinance and regulations, amended up to 1997, the roles of house tutors include monitoring the arrival and departure of resident students in and out of halls. They are also supposed to call the roll and seek explanations from absentees, check leave applications and look after dining rooms, canteens, furniture and other property of halls.

"The post of house tutors should be changed into assistant provost", said a house tutor of Zahurul Haque Hall on condition of anonymity.