"It cannot be called illegal occupancy, as most of the dormitories are under the control of home ministry and with police personnel residing," said Nasrin Begum, registrar and principal member of the university's fact-finding committee, formulated to look into the actual picture of occupation allegations.

"It will be easy for us to rescue the hostels from occupiers because the police department will help us and the hostels occupied by locals will be saved soon," she said.

"As we do not have sufficient manpower, we are afraid to risk the freeing of hostels from illegal occupancy," she added.

Prof. Dr. Sirajul Islam Khan, the vice-chancellor (VC) said that they would need sometime to work things out.

"We have just started classes and are now we are emphasising on starting administrative functions, giving priority to development work of the university," the VC said.

"Once these areas are taken care of we will act on freeing the hostels from its present occupants," he added.

But most students of the university were unaware that outsiders are occupying the 12 dormitories.

"I was surprised to find out that the university's 12 residential buildings have been occupied by outsiders for years," said Beauty Khanom, a third-year Sociology student.

When this correspondent spoke to Sahnur Haider, a 4th year Management student about the dormitories, he said: "I have no idea about the hostels. I am hearing this for the first time from you."

Students also alleged that they are suffering much because of the crisis of accommodation at the university.

"We live in a mess. It is uncomfortable and expensive. We hope the authorities will take initiatives to have the dormitories restored for us," said Shimul, an accounting student.

"More than 65 percent students of our department are from out of Dhaka. They are facing acute accommodation problems. Immediate action against the illegal occupiers would help these students with accommodation," said Shakib Raihan, another accounting student.

According to some of the university teachers, students gave up residing in the hostels after a clash with local residents in 1984. Authorities had given police personnel and their families, permission to reside in the hostels for security reasons.

The on-duty police officer of Kotwali police station said that there is no accommodation in the police station dormitory, so police personnel were asked to live in some of the dormitories and the practice has been going on for years.

A senior teacher of the university said that the local people were disturbed by mugging and anti-social activities by the hostels residents at that time. So the people themselves drove the students out for the sake of peace and security of the locality.