In a significant shift echoing Bangladesh’s turbulent political landscape, Dhaka University has approved renaming its Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall to ‘Usman Hadi Hall’ in honor of a radical Islamist leader killed last month. This decision, announced Friday, marks the beginning of a broader effort to overhaul names tied to the nation’s independence era.
The university’s syndicate, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Niaz Ahmad Khan, greenlit the change during a Thursday meeting. It now awaits final approval from the senate. Proctor Saifuddin Ahmad confirmed the move, stating the proposal has advanced one key step.
This comes alongside renaming Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall—named after Mujibur Rahman’s wife—to ‘Captain Sitara Parveen Hall.’ Such actions unfold against a backdrop of attacks on 1971 Liberation War monuments, raising alarms over the erasure of historical legacies under Muhammad Yunus’s interim government.
Following Usman Hadi’s death on December 18 in Dhaka, students at the hall removed the original plaque and installed one bearing his name. They also painted over a prominent mural of Mujibur Rahman on the building’s facade. Hadi’s supporters subsequently targeted minorities, the Indian High Commission, cultural centers, and media outlets nationwide.
The syndicate also initiated proceedings against four teachers linked to the Awami League’s Blue Panel, framing charges and issuing show-cause notices. They must respond within a week, with investigations to follow. This follows last month’s alleged harassment and assaults on three pro-Awami League teachers by a student group led by the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union.
Critics warn that under the interim administration, law and order are deteriorating, academic freedom is under threat, and dissenters face increasing violence. These developments signal a deepening divide over Bangladesh’s foundational history and its contested icons.