University students and sportsmen have been urging the authorities concerned for last two decades to introduce the course.

"We staged demonstrations, formed human chains and submitted several memorandums to vice-chancellor and Pro-VC in last three years for opening the course but our demands were always ignored," said Rajshahi University Players Welfare Association President Abdus Samad Pintu and General Secretary Protap Kumar.

Tuktuki Begum, deputy director of physical education at Monnujan Hall, said the launching of BPED course is badly needed in a university with an enrolment of 30000 students.

Deputy Director of university physical education department Abul Kalam Badsha said the department remains almost idle as physical education course is not studied here.

In absence of the course, university stadium which is the second largest stadium in the country, gymnasium, swimming pool, playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, athletic practice centres and indoor badminton courts on the campus remain almost unused all the year round, said sources.

Delwar Hossain, an athlete of the university, said, "For want of BPED course we have no opportunity to get high level training and as a result we face various problems in the athletic arena."

Campus sources said RU players and sportsmen have glorious past in sports arena.

They won medals taking part in many national and international games.

Khaled Masud Pilot, Shahnewaz Sanu and all rounder Musfiqur Rahman Babu are some of the bright luminaries in cricket arena who belonged to Rajshahi University.

When contacted, VC Prof Altaf Hossain said the university is going to open the BPED course soon.