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Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) has introduced a "Female Zone" at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) cafeteria, aiming to provide female students with a private space. The curtained-off area is intended for activities such as breastfeeding, adjusting clothing, and other personal needs, according to Ducsu officials.

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It is for any female student who feels she needs a private space. Mothers can breastfeed their babies here, students can adjust their clothes, rest, or eat comfortably.

Ducsu Common Room, Reading Room and Cafeteria Secretary Umme Salma stated the zone is for "any female student who feels she needs a private space." She added, "Mothers can breastfeed their babies here, students can adjust their clothes, rest, or eat comfortably." The initiative was inaugurated by Ducsu General Secretary SM Farhad.

However, the move has generated mixed reactions. Some students argue that the university should prioritize creating a safer and more inclusive campus rather than establishing gender-segregated areas. Nuzia Hasin Rasha, a former president of the Dhaka University unit of Biplobi Chhatra Maitree, criticized the initiative as "an insulting and ridiculous publicity stunt," asserting that a truly safe university allows women and men to move freely with equal dignity and security. Anthropology Professor Zobaida Nasreen viewed the initiative as inconsistent with co-education and reflective of "the politics of segregation."

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It is an insulting and ridiculous publicity stunt. A safe university is one where women and men can move freely with equal dignity and security.

Conversely, some students welcomed the space. Labiba Binte Wali, a student of the Faculty of Social Sciences, noted the limited availability of women-only dining facilities on campus. She suggested that mothers need appropriate places for breastfeeding and some female students might prefer private dining spaces, arguing that "not everything has to be politicised."

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the initiative was inconsistent with the concept of co-education and reflected 'the politics of segregation'.

Procedural questions have also arisen, with Salma acknowledging that the university administration was not consulted before the structural modification. Acting TSC Director Farzana Bashar confirmed she had not been asked for permission and stated that approval should have been obtained from higher authorities for such structural changes.

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Women-only spaces with dining facilities are limited on campus. Sometimes mothers need a proper place for breastfeeding, and some female students may feel more comfortable eating in a private space. Not everything has to be politicised.