Bangladeshis are not allowed to be Sheiks in Dubai: Residents of red heaven in dismay

The whistle lets out a harsh screech, signaling the end of another day of unbridled freedom for the lesser gender at IUT. The way they are ushered inside their halls of residence is reminiscent of the loving way cattle are ushered into their barn. But that's just the beginning of an excellent list of events you can experience first-hand if you are fortunate enough to be a learner at IUT! Islamic University of Technology - a university offering world-class engineering education, is nestled in a notably unhealthy area.

Merely crossing the street across IUT will cover you in a thick layer of dust that resembles the work of professional tanning services beauty salons offer for a fortune. Although inhaling the dust may prove detrimental to your health, it's an insignificant, ignorable problem compared to the aesthetic benefits of tanning.

Both genders are allowed entry based on an exceedingly tricky admission test and have to pay an equal amount to stay afloat, starting from being labeled as 'the fault of IUT,' being instructed to call male seniors 'bhai' instead of 'bhaia' (because the latter ignites romantic feelings in the hearts of the dominant gender), having a chicken coop for a prayer room with no air-conditioning and that closes before Asr - these are some of the experiences you will be deprived of if you're a male student. 

5000 USD for students who solved a few more problems in the admission test and 20000 USD for the ones who possess a quarter of the intelligence of the former—the tuition of this place, while outrageous on the surface, does give the university a 'wealthy Middle East oil-well owner' impression, one that the authority takes seriously and maintains by incrementing the tuition every year by at least 1000 USD. 

Likewise, the authority, adorably delusional, believes that every student studying here comes from a family boasting two oil wells, five camels, and at least one Swiss bank account. Because of the wealthy Middle Eastern vibe throughout the campus, students pay their tuition at the cash-selling rate (the highest rate in the banks) and receive their monthly allowance at the TT clean rate.

With a monthly income of 6000 takas deposited in your account at the beginning of every month (an amount that could cover every expense you could think of), students feel no pressure to work extra jobs to accommodate their needs.

Although financially powered by OIC every year, with the surge in dollar rate, maintaining the disparity in receiving and making payments is even more crucial from IUT's end to preserve its 'elite-school' image. The extra income isn't used to enhance computer lab facilities, upgrade lab equipment, or even install additional air coolers, much to the irk of the ungrateful student body. 

However, their grievances were compensated by installing a waste management system, a tri-bin system capable of handling unprecedented amounts of garbage.

Garbage filtration is paramount to the students at IUT. This principle must be more evident in the member-recruitment process of the diverse clubs and societies embellishing the university's rich history.

After going through rigorous assessments in the selection process, students learn that the key to getting recruited isn't sincerity or dexterity (two of the most overrated qualities known to humankind); it's silver tongue and buttering up your seniors - a skill that they'll require for surviving in any part of the world for the rest of their lives. 

With such a dichotomy between the name of the university and its associated activities, the Gatherers of Engineering and Islamic Knowledge Society (GEIKS, colloquially referred to as geeks) have set out with the mission to right the wrongs. 

Some of their key agendas include criticizing IUT's long, proud list of alums working hard to sell cigarettes at BAT, forbidding the intermixing of genders, and publishing educative leaflets at every chance. 

However, given the sheer number of unmarried couples in society, a phenomenon that conflicts with their ideology, how much this society will succeed is something to consider. Students, nevertheless, remain hopeful in the geeks, as does the IUT authority. As the meek shall inherit the earth, the geeks shall inherit IUT.