The Dhaka University still imposes a fine of Tk1 for overdue library books, which students must pay by visiting a bank.
The issue came to light today (5 November) after a Physics Department student shared her experience of being fined Tk1 on social media.
Nabila Haque, a student of the department from the 2023-24 academic session, wrote, “Dhaka University Library fined me Tk1 for returning a book 8-9 days late! Now I have to go to Janata Bank at TSC, stand in a queue and pay the fine with just one coin.”
Speaking to The Business Standard later in the evening, Nabila said she had borrowed the book from the Science Library before the Puja holidays.
Although the book was due on 22 October, she returned it on 3 November and was fined Tk1, calculated from the due date.
“My hall is nearby, so it was not much trouble for me. But the system is quite strange. If I lived in another hall, the Janata Bank branch would be quite far from the Science Library, where I borrowed the book,” she said.
Dhaka University Library Director Professor Dr Kazi Mostak Gausul told TBS that he was also unaware that even a Tk1 fine had to be paid at a bank.
“This is a very old rule. I checked the documents and found that it has been in place since 1975 or even before independence. We have a Library Committee meeting coming up, and I will discuss the matter with the authorities. Since the amount is so small, we may try to introduce online payment,” he said.
He added that the library has different rules for books returned late or lost.
“If the book is very recent, the borrower can pay its price. But if it is a book from 1960, for example, and its price is listed as 50 paisa, we have different rules for that,” he said.
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