Socialist Students’ Front on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh protesting at renaming of halls and buildings at different universities by dropping names of martyred intellectuals and historically eminent figures.
Requesting to reconsider the decisions of the university administrations to drop the names, the student organisation also demanded the UGC take initiatives to increase budgetary allocation for the education sector.
Leaders and activists of the student organisation handed over the memorandum to the UGC chair, Syed Muhammed Abul Faiz, at his office in the morning.
The memorandum, signed by SSF president Salman Siddiqui and its general secretary Rafiqujjaman Farid, said that the ousted Awami League during its 15-year fascist regime named and renamed different infrastructures, including institutions and roads across the country after Sheikh Hasina’s family members and AL leaders praising one family.
The issue of changing politically biased names came to the fore as a logical expression of suppressed anger after the student-led mass uprising, the memorandum said, expressing concern over dropping names of martyred intellectuals and historically eminent figures.
‘The names of globally renowned scholars, scientists, poets, doctors and musicians were removed from various infrastructures, including university halls, academic buildings, auditoriums and libraries across the country while some of these infrastructures were also renamed after controversial figures,’ read the memorandum.
The authorities of Khulna University renamed its infrastructures removing the names of physicist Satyendra Nath Bose, scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose, poet Jibanananda Das, fakir Lalon Shah, chemist Prafulla Chandra Ray, martyred intellectual Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, educationist Govinda Chandra Dev, physician Alim Chowdhury, first prime minister of independent Bangladesh Tajuddin Ahmad and others while Patuakhali Science and Technology University authorities renamed its Kobi Begum Sufia Kamal Hall and the Islamic University authorities renamed its four halls and an academic building, said the memorandum.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall was renamed as Shah Azizur Rahman Hall at Islamic University, it said, adding that Azizur Rahman was an identified war criminal, who also took a position against the Language Movement in 1952.
‘Naming a university hall after such a person does not fulfil the aspirations of the July mass uprising,’ it said.
SSF leaders also expressed deep concern over an attempt to rename Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur.
In the memorandum, they also said that budgetary allocation for the education sector was inadequate for ensuring quality education and research and demanded increased budgetary allocation for the sector.
UGC chair SMA Faiz told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· that dropping names of the eminent figures was unexpected and the UGC would ask the university authorities about it.
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