Azizul Haque, the newly elected Vice President of Surja Sen Hall at the University of Dhaka, has criticized the cafeteria manager over various allegations, including poor food quality and staff working in half-pants. He has given the manager a 15-day ultimatum to improve food and overall management, warning that failure to do so would mean the manager should be mentally prepared to leave the cafeteria after the deadline.
Addressing the manager, Azizul Haque said, “If your staff are working in the kitchen wearing half-pants, what is the need for your managerial role? What kind of management is this?”
During a visit to the cafeteria on Sunday (14 September), the VP observed multiple irregularities and issued the ultimatum. He told cafeteria manager Mohammad Noman, “You are serving rotten potatoes, and the lentils barely have any lentils in them. Even after running the cafeteria for 42 years, we see no minimal improvement. Then why should we keep you here?”
The VP further asked, “Give me three reasons why we should retain you. Nowadays, no one eats for free, no one underpays, so why is the food quality not improving?”
He also pointed out unhygienic conditions inside the kitchen: “Your staff don’t have caps on their heads. They said you didn’t provide them with caps. Cigarette filters are lying in the corners of the kitchen. I also saw a few staff members working in half-pants. If people work in the kitchen wearing half-pants, then what is the need for you (the manager) to be here? What kind of manager are you? Do you even know any managerial rules?”
Azizul Haque added, “There is no need for any nonsense. You, along with your owner, must sit together and decide what you can do for the students within 15 days. It must become widely acknowledged that the Surya Sen Hall cafeteria has improved. If this does not happen within 15 days, then you must be fully prepared—mentally and in every way—to leave. Beyond this, there will be no further discussion.”
Meanwhile, parts of the conversation between VP Azizul Haque and the cafeteria manager have gone viral on social media, drawing mixed reactions from students.
Later, Azizul Haque admitted on Facebook that his tone was somewhat harsh. “However, those familiar with the University of Dhaka know that all canteens and cafeterias here are run through specific syndicates. Going forward, we will strive to be more restrained and graceful in our conduct, Insha’Allah,” he wrote.