Police barricades fail as crowds flood Dhaka University before World Cup final

The university's giant-screen venues reach capacity 90 minutes before the final

Police barricades have failed to keep outsiders from entering Dhaka University, despite tightened restrictions imposed by the authorities to ensure students' safety before the World Cup final.

Venues arranged across the university to screen the match were filled to capacity on Sunday night, one and a half hours before kick-off.

Argentina face Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey at 1am Bangladesh time. Large screens have been set up at different locations across the campus for the convenience of the students.

Meanwhile, the restriction for female students entering their halls has been relaxed.

Many female students are preparing to watch the match at TSC and Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, though some have expressed discomfort over the influx of outsiders onto the campus.

Smriti Akhtar, a resident student of Ruqayyah Hall, said: "I was planning to watch the match outside. But seeing how outsiders have entered by breaching police barriers, it no longer feels safe.

"If the university administration cannot keep its students safe for even a single night, there is no point in staging such an event."

On Saturday night, the university authorities had announced restrictions on the entry of outsiders at the access points to the university.

As part of this measure, police and the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) personnel were deployed at campus entrances from 7pm on Sunday.

However, around 11pm, crowds of outsiders broke through the police and BNCC barriers to enter the university.

At the Shahbagh intersection, individuals reportedly bypassed police barricades to force their way inside.

Visits to several campus areas later in the night revealed that screening venues at TSC, Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall, the VC Chhattar, and the Hall Para were filled to capacity.

A distinct atmosphere was observed in the university's Hall Para, where some students brought out chairs from their halls, whilst others laid down sheets of paper to sit on the ground.

DU Proctor Prof Israfil Ratan was called multiple times for a comment on further security measures, but he did not answer his phone.